📚 Learning Guide
Marginal Revenue Product of Labor
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In a competitive market, how does the Marginal Revenue Product of Labor (MRP) help determine the optimal number of workers a firm should hire?

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Learning Path
Learning Path

Question & Answer
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Choose the Best Answer

A

MRP must equal the wage rate for profit maximization

B

MRP should always be greater than the total revenue

C

MRP is irrelevant in competitive markets

D

MRP decreases with each additional worker hired

Understanding the Answer

Let's break down why this is correct

Answer

In a competitive market, the Marginal Revenue Product of Labor (MRP) is a key concept that helps firms decide how many workers to hire. MRP measures the additional revenue generated from hiring one more worker. A firm will continue to hire more workers as long as the MRP of each new worker is greater than or equal to the wage paid to them. For example, if hiring an additional worker brings in $100 in revenue but costs $80 in wages, it makes sense for the firm to hire that worker. However, if the MRP drops below the wage, the firm should stop hiring to maximize profits.

Detailed Explanation

Firms should hire workers until the extra money they make from one more worker equals what they pay that worker. Other options are incorrect because Some might think MRP needs to be higher than total revenue; It's a common mistake to think MRP doesn't matter in competitive markets.

Key Concepts

input factor relationship
competitive markets
Topic

Marginal Revenue Product of Labor

Difficulty

medium level question

Cognitive Level

understand

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