Question

Discuss examples of 1) elasticity, including an explanation of why or how they demonstrate the concept of elasticity; and 2) examples of externalities, again including an explanation of why or how they demonstrate the concept of externalities.

Answer 1

1.

Elasticity is a measure of how much the quantity demanded of a service/good changes in relation to its price, income or supply.

How It Works

If the quantity demanded changes a lot when prices change a little, a product is said to be elastic. This often is the case for products or services for which there are many alternatives, or for which consumers are relatively price sensitive. For example, if the price of Cola A doubles, the quantity demanded for Cola A will fall when consumers switch to less-expensive Cola B.

When there is a small change in demand when prices change a lot, the product is said to be inelastic. The most famous example of relatively inelastic demand is that for gasoline. As the price of gasoline increases, the quantity demanded doesn't decrease all that much. This is because there are very few good substitutes for gasoline and consumers are still willing to buy it even at relatively high prices.

Why It Matters

Elasticity is important because it describes the fundamental relationship between the price of a good and the demand for that good.

Elastic goods and services generally have plenty of substitutes. As an elastic service/good's price increases, the quantity demanded of that good can drop fast. Example of elastic goods and services include furniture, motor vehicles, instrument engineering products, professional services, and transportation services.

Inelastic goods have fewer substitutes and price change doesn't affect quantity demanded as much. Some inelastic goods include gas, electricity, water, drinks, clothing, tobacco, food, and oil.

To learn more about specific types of elasticity, see the following:

Income Elasticity of Demand: the responsiveness of quantity demanded to a change in income.
Price Elasticity of Demand (PED): the responsiveness of quantity demanded to a change in price.
Elasticity of Supply: the responsiveness of the quantity supplied to a change in price.

2.

An externality is a cost or benefit caused by a producer that is not financially incurred or received by that producer.

An externality can be both positive or negative and can stem from either the production or consumption of a good or service. The costs and benefits can be both private—to an individual or an organization—or social, meaning it can affect society as a whole.

An externality does not affect the entity that causes the externality.

Externalities by nature are generally environmental, such as natural resources or public health. For example, a negative externality is a business that causes pollution that diminishes the property values or health of people in the surrounding area. A positive externality includes actions that reduce transmission of disease or avoids the use of lawn treatments that runoff to rivers and thus contribute to excess plant growth in lakes. Externalities are different from donations of parkland or open-source software.

ECONOMY  ECONOMICS

Externality

By WILL KENTON

Reviewed By BRIAN BARNIER

Updated May 29, 2020

What Is an Externality?

An externality is a cost or benefit caused by a producer that is not financially incurred or received by that producer.

An externality can be both positive or negative and can stem from either the production or consumption of a good or service. The costs and benefits can be both private—to an individual or an organization—or social, meaning it can affect society as a whole.

An externality does not affect the entity that causes the externality.

Externalities by nature are generally environmental, such as natural resources or public health. For example, a negative externality is a business that causes pollution that diminishes the property values or health of people in the surrounding area. A positive externality includes actions that reduce transmission of disease or avoids the use of lawn treatments that runoff to rivers and thus contribute to excess plant growth in lakes. Externalities are different from donations of parkland or open-source software.

Understanding Externalities

Externalities occur in an economy when the production or consumption of a specific good or service impacts a third party that is not directly related to the production or consumption of that good or service.

Almost all externalities are considered to be technical externalities. Technical externalities have an impact on the consumption and production opportunities of unrelated third parties, but the price of consumption does not include the externalities. This exclusion creates a gap between the gain or loss of private individuals and the aggregate gain or loss of society as a whole.

The action of an individual or organization often results in positive private gains but detracts from the overall economy. Many economists consider technical externalities to be market deficiencies, and this is the reason people advocate for government intervention to curb negative externalities through taxation and regulation.

Externalities were once the responsibility of local governments and those affected by them. So, for instance, municipalities were responsible for paying for the effects of pollution from a factory in the area while the residents were responsible for their healthcare costs as a result of the pollution. After the late 1990s, governments enacted legislation imposing the cost of externalities on the producer. This legislation increased costs, which many corporations passed on to the consumer, making their goods and services more expensive.

Positive and Negative Externalities

Most externalities are negative. Pollution is a well-known negative externality. A corporation may decide to cut costs and increase profits by implementing new operations that are more harmful to the environment. The corporation realizes costs in the form of expanding operations but also generates returns that are higher than the costs.

However, the externality also increases the aggregate cost to the economy and society making it a negative externality. Externalities are negative when the social costs outweigh the private costs.

Some externalities are positive. Positive externalities occur when there is a positive gain on both the private level and social level. Research and development (R&D) conducted by a company can be a positive externality. R&D increases the private profits of a company but also has the added benefit of increasing the general level of knowledge within a society.

Similarly, the emphasis on education is also a positive externality. Investment in education leads to a smarter and more intelligent workforce. Companies benefit from hiring employees who are educated because they are knowledgeable. This benefits employers because a better-educated workforce requires less investment in employee training and development costs.

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