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Price Elasticity. Elasticity – the concept. The degree to which demand for a product is affected by a change in price When price rises, what happens to demand? Demand falls BUT! How MUCH does demand fall?. Elasticity – the concept. If price rises by 10% - what happens to demand?
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Elasticity – the concept • The degree to which demand for a product is affected by a change in price • When price rises, what happens to demand? • Demand falls • BUT! • How MUCH does demand fall?
Elasticity – the concept • If price rises by 10% - what happens to demand? • We know demand will fall • By more than 10%? • By less than 10%? • Elasticity measures the extent to which demand will change
Elasticity Price Elasticity of Demand The responsiveness of demand to changes in price Where % change in demand is greater than % change in price elastic Where % change in demand is less than % change in price - inelastic
Elasticity The Formula: % Change in Quantity Demanded Ped = __________________________ % Change in Price If answer is between 0 and -1: the relationship is inelastic If the answer is between -1 and -infinity: the relationship is elastic
Law of Diminishing Marginal Utility After eating X amount of food, your satisfaction of the additional food becomes lesser…. Consumers will only buy so much of a given product, even though the price is low
Elasticity Price ($) The demand curve can be a range of shapes each of which is associated with a different relationship between price and the quantity demanded. Quantity Demanded
Elasticity Price Total revenue is price x quantity sold. In this example, TR = $5 x 100,000 = $500,000. This value is represented by the grey shaded rectangle. The importance of elasticity is the information it provides on the effect on total revenue of changes in price. $5 Total Revenue D 100 Quantity Demanded (000s)
Elasticity Price ($) Producer decides to lower price to attract sales 10 % Δ Price = -50% % Δ Quantity Demanded = +20% Ped = -0.4 (Inelastic) Total Revenue would fall 5 Not a good move! D 5 6 Quantity Demanded
Elasticity Price If the firm decides to decrease price to (say) $3, the degree of price elasticity of the demand curve would determine the extent of the increase in demand and the change therefore in total revenue. $5 $3 TotalRevenue D 100 140 Quantity Demanded (000s)
Elasticity Price ($) Producer decides to reduce price to increase sales % Δ in Price = - 30% % Δ in Demand = + 300% Ped = - 10 (Elastic) Total Revenue rises 10 Good Move! 7 D 20 5 Quantity Demanded
If demand is price elastic: Increasing price would reduce TR (%Δ Qd > % Δ P) Reducing price would increase TR (%Δ Qd > % Δ P) If demand is price inelastic: Increasing price would increase TR (%Δ Qd < % Δ P) Reducing price would reduce TR (%Δ Qd < % Δ P) Elasticity-logically...
Determinants of Elasticity • Brand Loyalty/Number and closeness of substitutes – the greater the number of substitutes, the more elastic • The proportion of income taken up by the product – the smaller the proportion the more inelastic, price increase big or small? • Luxury or Necessity- medicine • Urgency of Purchase – gas