Asked by Dolly Rodriguez on Jun 09, 2024

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Suppose that the labor cost to total cost ratio in industry A is 82 percent, while in industry B it is 21 percent. Other things equal, labor demand will be

A) more elastic in industry A than in B.
B) relatively inelastic in both industries A and B.
C) more elastic in industry B than in A.
D) relatively elastic in both industries A and B.

Labor Cost

The total expenditure incurred by a company to pay its employees, including wages, benefits, and taxes.

Total Cost Ratio

Represents the sum of all costs (fixed and variable) associated with production, expressed as a ratio over a specific period.

  • Determine the impact of product demand elasticity on the elasticity of labor demand within specific industries.
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KG
Kiley GoodieJun 10, 2024
Final Answer :
A
Explanation :
Labor demand elasticity is higher in industries where labor costs constitute a larger portion of total costs. Since industry A has a higher labor cost to total cost ratio (82%) compared to industry B (21%), labor demand in industry A will be more elastic. This is because changes in wages will have a more significant impact on total costs and, consequently, on the quantity of labor demanded in industry A.