Microeconomics
Labor Economics
Human Labor
Human Labor
  Supply and Demand
   You are the Supply
You are “renting” yourself
Wage   Labor Market
Rate




                      Q
Wage   Labor Market
Rate




                      Demand

                       Q
Wage   Labor Market
Rate
                      Supply




                      Demand

                        Q
Wage   Labor Market
Rate
                      Supply




                      Demand

                        Q
Wage   Labor Market
Rate
                      Supply




                      Demand

                        Q
Wage   Labor Market
Rate
                      Supply




                      Demand

          Q1            Q
Wage   Labor Market
Rate
                      Supply




  P1




                      Demand

          Q1            Q
Wages and Profits
Wages and Profits
    Profits attract attention
Attention turns into Competition
   Competition raises wages
Risks
Risks
 If you are paid too little, the
competition will hire you away

If you are paid too much, your
company goes out of business
Marginal Product of Labor
           MP
Marginal Product of Labor
           MP
 Additional output a firm
  gets by employing one
    more unit of labor.
Value of the
Marginal Product of Labor
          VMP
Value of the
Marginal Product of Labor
          VMP
  The value of the additional
output a firm gets by employing
    one more unit of labor.
Value of the
Marginal Product of Labor
          VMP
Value of the
Marginal Product of Labor
            VMP
      It’s not output,
     It’s value counts
Derived Demand
Derived Demand
 Demand for another
product determines the
       demand
Drill
  or
Holes?
Pizzas           Total Pizzas
   20
  16
  12
   8
   4
   0
         0   1   2        3     4   5
                  Employees
Pizzas         Marginal Productivity
    10

    8

    6

    4

    2

    0
         1st   2nd       3rd      4th   5th
                     Employee
How                                       Value of
  many                                      Marginal   Wage
employees?                       Marginal   Product    Cost
                        Total    Product     VMP        $30   Value
             Employee   Pizzas     MP        (MR)      (MC)   Add

  Profit         0         0         0         $0
  before
  wages        1st        5         5        $50       $15    $35
  $10          2nd       11         6        $60       $15    $45
 Cost to       3rd       15         4        $40       $15    $25
Hire new
employee       4th       17         2        $20       $15    $5
  $15          5th       18         1        $10       $15    -$5
How                                       Value of
  many                                      Marginal   Wage
employees?                       Marginal   Product    Cost
                        Total    Product     VMP        $30   Value
             Employee   Pizzas     MP        (MR)      (MC)   Add

  Profit         0         0         0         $0
  before
  wages        1st        5         5        $50       $15    $35
  $10          2nd       11         6        $60       $15    $45
 Cost to       3rd       15         4        $40       $15    $25
Hire new
employee       4th       17         2        $20       $15    $5
  $15          5th       18         1        $10       $15    -$5
How                                       Value of
  many                                      Marginal   Wage
employees?                       Marginal   Product    Cost
                        Total    Product     VMP        $30   Value
             Employee   Pizzas     MP        (MR)      (MC)   Add

  Profit         0         0         0         $0
  before
  wages        1st        5         5        $50       $15    $35
  $10          2nd       11         6        $60       $15    $45
 Cost to       3rd       15         4        $40       $15    $25
Hire new
employee       4th       17         2        $20       $15    $5
  $15          5th       18         1        $10       $15    -$5
How                                       Value of
  many                                      Marginal   Wage
employees?                       Marginal   Product    Cost
                        Total    Product     VMP        $30   Value
             Employee   Pizzas     MP        (MR)      (MC)   Add

  Profit         0         0         0         $0
  before
  wages        1st        5         5        $50       $15    $35
  $10          2nd       11         6        $60       $15    $45
 Cost to       3rd       15         4        $40       $15    $25
Hire new
employee       4th       17         2        $20       $15    $5
  $15          5th       18         1        $10       $15    -$5
How                                       Value of
  many                                      Marginal   Wage
employees?                       Marginal   Product    Cost
                        Total    Product     VMP        $30   Value
             Employee   Pizzas     MP        (MR)      (MC)   Add

  Profit         0         0         0         $0
  before
  wages        1st        5         5        $50       $15    $35
  $10          2nd       11         6        $60       $15    $45
 Cost to       3rd       15         4        $40       $15    $25
Hire new
employee       4th       17         2        $20       $15    $5
  $15          5th       18         1        $10       $15    -$5
How                                       Value of
  many                                      Marginal   Wage
employees?                       Marginal   Product    Cost
                        Total    Product     VMP        $30   Value
             Employee   Pizzas     MP        (MR)      (MC)   Add

  Profit         0         0         0         $0
  before
  wages        1st        5         5        $50       $15    $35
  $10          2nd       11         6        $60       $15    $45
 Cost to       3rd       15         4        $40       $15    $25
Hire new
employee       4th       17         2        $20       $15    $5
  $15          5th       18         1        $10       $15    -$5
How                                       Value of
  many                                      Marginal   Wage
employees?                       Marginal   Product    Cost
                        Total    Product     VMP        $30   Value
             Employee   Pizzas     MP        (MR)      (MC)   Add

  Profit         0         0         0         $0
  before
  wages        1st        5         5        $50       $15    $35
  $10          2nd       11         6        $60       $15    $45
 Cost to       3rd       15         4        $40       $15    $25
Hire new
employee       4th       17         2        $20       $15    $5
  $15          5th       18         1        $10       $15    -$5
How                                       Value of
  many                                      Marginal   Wage
employees?                       Marginal   Product    Cost
                        Total    Product     VMP        $30   Value
             Employee   Pizzas     MP        (MR)      (MC)   Add

  Profit         0         0         0         $0
  before
  wages        1st        5         5        $50       $15    $35
  $10          2nd       11         6        $60       $15    $45
 Cost to       3rd       15         4        $40       $15    $25
Hire new
employee       4th       17         2        $20       $15    $5
  $15          5th       18         1        $10       $15    -$5
How                                       Value of
  many                                      Marginal   Wage
employees?                       Marginal   Product    Cost
                        Total    Product     VMP        $30   Value
             Employee   Pizzas     MP        (MR)      (MC)   Add

  Profit         0         0         0         $0
  before
  wages        1st        5         5        $35       $15    $20
   $7          2nd       11         6        $42       $15    $27
 Cost to       3rd       15         4        $28       $15    $13
Hire new
employee       4th       17         2        $14       $15    -$1
  $15          5th       18         1         $7       $15    -$8
How                                       Value of
  many                                      Marginal   Wage
employees?                       Marginal   Product    Cost
                        Total    Product     VMP        $30   Value
             Employee   Pizzas     MP        (MR)      (MC)   Add

  Profit         0         0         0         $0
  before
  wages        1st        5         5        $35       $15    $20
   $7          2nd       11         6        $42       $15    $27
 Cost to       3rd       15         4        $28       $15    $13
Hire new
employee       4th       17         2        $14       $15    -$1
  $15          5th       18         1         $7       $15    -$8
How                                       Value of
  many                                      Marginal   Wage
employees?                       Marginal   Product    Cost
                        Total    Product     VMP        $30   Value
             Employee   Pizzas     MP        (MR)      (MC)   Add

  Profit         0         0         0         $0
  before
  wages        1st        5         5        $35       $15    $20
   $7          2nd       11         6        $42       $15    $27
 Cost to       3rd       15         4        $28       $15    $13
Hire new
employee       4th       17         2        $14       $15    -$1
  $15          5th       18         1         $7       $15    -$8
How                                       Value of
  many                                      Marginal   Wage
employees?                       Marginal   Product    Cost
                        Total    Product     VMP        $30   Value
             Employee   Pizzas     MP        (MR)      (MC)   Add

  Profit         0         0         0         $0
  before
  wages        1st        5         5        $35       $15    $20
   $7          2nd       11         6        $42       $15    $27
 Cost to       3rd       15         4        $28       $15    $13
Hire new
employee       4th       17         2        $14       $15    -$1
  $15          5th       18         1         $7       $15    -$8
How                                       Value of
  many                                      Marginal   Wage
employees?                       Marginal   Product    Cost
                        Total    Product     VMP        $30   Value
             Employee   Pizzas     MP        (MR)      (MC)   Add

  Profit         0         0         0         $0
  before
  wages        1st        5         5        $35       $15    $20
   $7          2nd       11         6        $42       $15    $27
 Cost to       3rd       15         4        $28       $15    $13
Hire new
employee       4th       17         2        $14       $15    -$1
  $15          5th       18         1         $7       $15    -$8
How                                       Value of
  many                                      Marginal   Wage
employees?                       Marginal   Product    Cost
                        Total    Product     VMP        $30   Value
             Employee   Pizzas     MP        (MR)      (MC)   Add

  Profit         0         0         0         $0
  before
  wages        1st        5         5        $35       $15    $20
   $7          2nd       11         6        $42       $15    $27
 Cost to       3rd       15         4        $28       $15    $13
Hire new
employee       4th       17         2        $14       $15    -$1
  $15          5th       18         1         $7       $15    -$8
How                                       Value of
  many                                      Marginal   Wage
employees?                       Marginal   Product    Cost
                        Total    Product     VMP        $30   Value
             Employee   Pizzas     MP        (MR)      (MC)   Add

  Profit         0         0         0         $0
  before
  wages        1st        5         5        $35       $15    $20
   $7          2nd       11         6        $42       $15    $27
 Cost to       3rd       15         4        $28       $15    $13
Hire new
employee       4th       17         2        $14       $15    -$1
  $15          5th       18         1         $7       $15    -$8
How                                       Value of
  many                                      Marginal   Wage
employees?                       Marginal   Product    Cost
                        Total    Product     VMP        $30   Value
             Employee   Pizzas     MP        (MR)      (MC)   Add

  Profit         0         0         0         $0
  before
  wages        1st        5         5        $35       $15    $20
   $7          2nd       11         6        $42       $15    $27
 Cost to       3rd       15         4        $28       $15    $13
Hire new
employee       4th       17         2        $14       $15    -$1
  $15          5th       18         1         $7       $15    -$8
Hiring Rule
Hiring Rule
As long as marginal revenue
 is not less than marginal
     cost - Keep hiring
          MR≥MC
Value of the Marginal
  Product of Labor
        VMP
Value of the Marginal
    Product of Labor
          VMP
Declines due to the law of
   diminishing returns
If you want wages to
        go up
If you want wages to
        go up
 Increase Demand
  Decrease Supply
Wage   Labor Market
Rate
                      Supply




  R1




                      Demand

          Q1            Q
Wage   Labor Market
Rate
                      Supply



                       Increase
  R1
                       Demand




                      Demand

          Q1            Q
Wage   Labor Market
Rate
                      Supply



                       Increase
  R1
                       Demand



                               Demand


          Q1            Q
Wage   Labor Market
Rate
                      Supply



                       Increase
  R1
                       Demand



                               Demand


          Q1            Q
Wage   Labor Market
Rate
                      Supply


  R2
                       Increase
  R1
                       Demand



                               Demand


          Q1            Q
Wage   Labor Market
Rate
                      Supply


  R2
                       Increase
  R1
                       Demand



                               Demand


          Q1   Q2       Q
Wage   Labor Market
Rate
                      Supply




  R1




                      Demand

          Q1            Q
Wage   Labor Market
Rate
                      Supply



                      Reduce
  R1                  Supply




                       Demand

          Q1            Q
Wage   Labor Market
Rate            Supply




                         Reduce
  R1                     Supply




                          Demand

          Q1               Q
Wage   Labor Market
Rate            Supply




                         Reduce
  R1                     Supply




                          Demand

          Q1               Q
Wage   Labor Market
Rate            Supply



  R2
                         Reduce
  R1                     Supply




                          Demand

          Q1               Q
Wage    Labor Market
Rate             Supply



  R2
                          Reduce
  R1                      Supply




                           Demand

       Q2   Q1              Q
Why are wages different?
Why are wages different?
Income is based on your
    Human Capital
Human Capital
Human Capital
Education      Energy
Training       Work Habits
Experience     Trustworthiness
Intelligence   Initiative
If you want wages to
        go up
If you want wages to
        go up
   Increase your
  Human Capital
Why are wages different?
Why are wages different?
  Compensating wage
     differentials
America’s 10 Most Dangerous Jobs
                               Per 100,000

      Average                        3.3

      Fishing                        200

      Logging                         62

       Pilot                          57

   Farm & Ranch                       36

      Roofers                         35

    Ironworkers                       30

     Sanitation                       25

     Machinist                        19

    Truck Driver                      18

   Construction                       18

        Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Discrimination
      is
  Expensive

101 lecture labor economics

  • 1.
  • 5.
  • 6.
    Human Labor Supply and Demand You are the Supply You are “renting” yourself
  • 7.
    Wage Labor Market Rate Q
  • 8.
    Wage Labor Market Rate Demand Q
  • 9.
    Wage Labor Market Rate Supply Demand Q
  • 10.
    Wage Labor Market Rate Supply Demand Q
  • 11.
    Wage Labor Market Rate Supply Demand Q
  • 12.
    Wage Labor Market Rate Supply Demand Q1 Q
  • 13.
    Wage Labor Market Rate Supply P1 Demand Q1 Q
  • 14.
  • 15.
    Wages and Profits Profits attract attention Attention turns into Competition Competition raises wages
  • 16.
  • 17.
    Risks If youare paid too little, the competition will hire you away If you are paid too much, your company goes out of business
  • 18.
  • 19.
    Marginal Product ofLabor MP Additional output a firm gets by employing one more unit of labor.
  • 20.
    Value of the MarginalProduct of Labor VMP
  • 21.
    Value of the MarginalProduct of Labor VMP The value of the additional output a firm gets by employing one more unit of labor.
  • 22.
    Value of the MarginalProduct of Labor VMP
  • 23.
    Value of the MarginalProduct of Labor VMP It’s not output, It’s value counts
  • 24.
  • 25.
    Derived Demand Demandfor another product determines the demand
  • 26.
  • 28.
    Pizzas Total Pizzas 20 16 12 8 4 0 0 1 2 3 4 5 Employees
  • 29.
    Pizzas Marginal Productivity 10 8 6 4 2 0 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th Employee
  • 32.
    How Value of many Marginal Wage employees? Marginal Product Cost Total Product VMP $30 Value Employee Pizzas MP (MR) (MC) Add Profit 0 0 0 $0 before wages 1st 5 5 $50 $15 $35 $10 2nd 11 6 $60 $15 $45 Cost to 3rd 15 4 $40 $15 $25 Hire new employee 4th 17 2 $20 $15 $5 $15 5th 18 1 $10 $15 -$5
  • 33.
    How Value of many Marginal Wage employees? Marginal Product Cost Total Product VMP $30 Value Employee Pizzas MP (MR) (MC) Add Profit 0 0 0 $0 before wages 1st 5 5 $50 $15 $35 $10 2nd 11 6 $60 $15 $45 Cost to 3rd 15 4 $40 $15 $25 Hire new employee 4th 17 2 $20 $15 $5 $15 5th 18 1 $10 $15 -$5
  • 34.
    How Value of many Marginal Wage employees? Marginal Product Cost Total Product VMP $30 Value Employee Pizzas MP (MR) (MC) Add Profit 0 0 0 $0 before wages 1st 5 5 $50 $15 $35 $10 2nd 11 6 $60 $15 $45 Cost to 3rd 15 4 $40 $15 $25 Hire new employee 4th 17 2 $20 $15 $5 $15 5th 18 1 $10 $15 -$5
  • 35.
    How Value of many Marginal Wage employees? Marginal Product Cost Total Product VMP $30 Value Employee Pizzas MP (MR) (MC) Add Profit 0 0 0 $0 before wages 1st 5 5 $50 $15 $35 $10 2nd 11 6 $60 $15 $45 Cost to 3rd 15 4 $40 $15 $25 Hire new employee 4th 17 2 $20 $15 $5 $15 5th 18 1 $10 $15 -$5
  • 36.
    How Value of many Marginal Wage employees? Marginal Product Cost Total Product VMP $30 Value Employee Pizzas MP (MR) (MC) Add Profit 0 0 0 $0 before wages 1st 5 5 $50 $15 $35 $10 2nd 11 6 $60 $15 $45 Cost to 3rd 15 4 $40 $15 $25 Hire new employee 4th 17 2 $20 $15 $5 $15 5th 18 1 $10 $15 -$5
  • 37.
    How Value of many Marginal Wage employees? Marginal Product Cost Total Product VMP $30 Value Employee Pizzas MP (MR) (MC) Add Profit 0 0 0 $0 before wages 1st 5 5 $50 $15 $35 $10 2nd 11 6 $60 $15 $45 Cost to 3rd 15 4 $40 $15 $25 Hire new employee 4th 17 2 $20 $15 $5 $15 5th 18 1 $10 $15 -$5
  • 38.
    How Value of many Marginal Wage employees? Marginal Product Cost Total Product VMP $30 Value Employee Pizzas MP (MR) (MC) Add Profit 0 0 0 $0 before wages 1st 5 5 $50 $15 $35 $10 2nd 11 6 $60 $15 $45 Cost to 3rd 15 4 $40 $15 $25 Hire new employee 4th 17 2 $20 $15 $5 $15 5th 18 1 $10 $15 -$5
  • 39.
    How Value of many Marginal Wage employees? Marginal Product Cost Total Product VMP $30 Value Employee Pizzas MP (MR) (MC) Add Profit 0 0 0 $0 before wages 1st 5 5 $50 $15 $35 $10 2nd 11 6 $60 $15 $45 Cost to 3rd 15 4 $40 $15 $25 Hire new employee 4th 17 2 $20 $15 $5 $15 5th 18 1 $10 $15 -$5
  • 42.
    How Value of many Marginal Wage employees? Marginal Product Cost Total Product VMP $30 Value Employee Pizzas MP (MR) (MC) Add Profit 0 0 0 $0 before wages 1st 5 5 $35 $15 $20 $7 2nd 11 6 $42 $15 $27 Cost to 3rd 15 4 $28 $15 $13 Hire new employee 4th 17 2 $14 $15 -$1 $15 5th 18 1 $7 $15 -$8
  • 43.
    How Value of many Marginal Wage employees? Marginal Product Cost Total Product VMP $30 Value Employee Pizzas MP (MR) (MC) Add Profit 0 0 0 $0 before wages 1st 5 5 $35 $15 $20 $7 2nd 11 6 $42 $15 $27 Cost to 3rd 15 4 $28 $15 $13 Hire new employee 4th 17 2 $14 $15 -$1 $15 5th 18 1 $7 $15 -$8
  • 44.
    How Value of many Marginal Wage employees? Marginal Product Cost Total Product VMP $30 Value Employee Pizzas MP (MR) (MC) Add Profit 0 0 0 $0 before wages 1st 5 5 $35 $15 $20 $7 2nd 11 6 $42 $15 $27 Cost to 3rd 15 4 $28 $15 $13 Hire new employee 4th 17 2 $14 $15 -$1 $15 5th 18 1 $7 $15 -$8
  • 45.
    How Value of many Marginal Wage employees? Marginal Product Cost Total Product VMP $30 Value Employee Pizzas MP (MR) (MC) Add Profit 0 0 0 $0 before wages 1st 5 5 $35 $15 $20 $7 2nd 11 6 $42 $15 $27 Cost to 3rd 15 4 $28 $15 $13 Hire new employee 4th 17 2 $14 $15 -$1 $15 5th 18 1 $7 $15 -$8
  • 46.
    How Value of many Marginal Wage employees? Marginal Product Cost Total Product VMP $30 Value Employee Pizzas MP (MR) (MC) Add Profit 0 0 0 $0 before wages 1st 5 5 $35 $15 $20 $7 2nd 11 6 $42 $15 $27 Cost to 3rd 15 4 $28 $15 $13 Hire new employee 4th 17 2 $14 $15 -$1 $15 5th 18 1 $7 $15 -$8
  • 47.
    How Value of many Marginal Wage employees? Marginal Product Cost Total Product VMP $30 Value Employee Pizzas MP (MR) (MC) Add Profit 0 0 0 $0 before wages 1st 5 5 $35 $15 $20 $7 2nd 11 6 $42 $15 $27 Cost to 3rd 15 4 $28 $15 $13 Hire new employee 4th 17 2 $14 $15 -$1 $15 5th 18 1 $7 $15 -$8
  • 48.
    How Value of many Marginal Wage employees? Marginal Product Cost Total Product VMP $30 Value Employee Pizzas MP (MR) (MC) Add Profit 0 0 0 $0 before wages 1st 5 5 $35 $15 $20 $7 2nd 11 6 $42 $15 $27 Cost to 3rd 15 4 $28 $15 $13 Hire new employee 4th 17 2 $14 $15 -$1 $15 5th 18 1 $7 $15 -$8
  • 49.
    How Value of many Marginal Wage employees? Marginal Product Cost Total Product VMP $30 Value Employee Pizzas MP (MR) (MC) Add Profit 0 0 0 $0 before wages 1st 5 5 $35 $15 $20 $7 2nd 11 6 $42 $15 $27 Cost to 3rd 15 4 $28 $15 $13 Hire new employee 4th 17 2 $14 $15 -$1 $15 5th 18 1 $7 $15 -$8
  • 50.
  • 51.
    Hiring Rule As longas marginal revenue is not less than marginal cost - Keep hiring MR≥MC
  • 52.
    Value of theMarginal Product of Labor VMP
  • 53.
    Value of theMarginal Product of Labor VMP Declines due to the law of diminishing returns
  • 54.
    If you wantwages to go up
  • 55.
    If you wantwages to go up Increase Demand Decrease Supply
  • 56.
    Wage Labor Market Rate Supply R1 Demand Q1 Q
  • 57.
    Wage Labor Market Rate Supply Increase R1 Demand Demand Q1 Q
  • 58.
    Wage Labor Market Rate Supply Increase R1 Demand Demand Q1 Q
  • 59.
    Wage Labor Market Rate Supply Increase R1 Demand Demand Q1 Q
  • 60.
    Wage Labor Market Rate Supply R2 Increase R1 Demand Demand Q1 Q
  • 61.
    Wage Labor Market Rate Supply R2 Increase R1 Demand Demand Q1 Q2 Q
  • 62.
    Wage Labor Market Rate Supply R1 Demand Q1 Q
  • 63.
    Wage Labor Market Rate Supply Reduce R1 Supply Demand Q1 Q
  • 64.
    Wage Labor Market Rate Supply Reduce R1 Supply Demand Q1 Q
  • 65.
    Wage Labor Market Rate Supply Reduce R1 Supply Demand Q1 Q
  • 66.
    Wage Labor Market Rate Supply R2 Reduce R1 Supply Demand Q1 Q
  • 67.
    Wage Labor Market Rate Supply R2 Reduce R1 Supply Demand Q2 Q1 Q
  • 68.
    Why are wagesdifferent?
  • 69.
    Why are wagesdifferent? Income is based on your Human Capital
  • 70.
  • 71.
    Human Capital Education Energy Training Work Habits Experience Trustworthiness Intelligence Initiative
  • 72.
    If you wantwages to go up
  • 73.
    If you wantwages to go up Increase your Human Capital
  • 74.
    Why are wagesdifferent?
  • 75.
    Why are wagesdifferent? Compensating wage differentials
  • 76.
    America’s 10 MostDangerous Jobs Per 100,000 Average 3.3 Fishing 200 Logging 62 Pilot 57 Farm & Ranch 36 Roofers 35 Ironworkers 30 Sanitation 25 Machinist 19 Truck Driver 18 Construction 18 Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
  • 77.
    Discrimination is Expensive