📚 Learning Guide
Resource Allocation for Profit Maximization
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If a firm finds that the marginal revenue product of labor is significantly higher than the wage it pays, which of the following is the most likely underlying cause for this situation?

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Choose the Best Answer

A

The firm is not fully utilizing its capital resources.

B

The firm is paying its workers above-market wages.

C

The demand for the firm's product has increased, leading to higher MRP of labor.

D

The firm's production process is inefficient, causing high labor costs.

Understanding the Answer

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Answer

When a firm discovers that the marginal revenue product of labor is much higher than the wage it pays, it usually means that the workers are producing a lot of value for the company compared to what they are being paid. This situation often arises because the firm might be experiencing high demand for its products, leading to increased sales and profits. For example, if a bakery hires an extra baker who can produce many more loaves of bread that sell well, the extra profit generated by the new baker exceeds the cost of their salary. This difference indicates that the firm has room to either increase wages or hire more workers to maximize profits. Therefore, the high marginal revenue product suggests that the firm is not fully utilizing its labor resources efficiently.

Detailed Explanation

When demand for a product goes up, companies need more workers to produce it. Other options are incorrect because Some might think that not using all resources means workers are less valuable; It's a common mistake to think paying more means workers are more valuable.

Key Concepts

Marginal Revenue Product of Labor
Resource Allocation
Profit Maximization
Topic

Resource Allocation for Profit Maximization

Difficulty

medium level question

Cognitive Level

understand

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