In: Economics
For each of the following cases, determine whether the economy’s labour demand for unskilled workers will decrease or increase:
a) The cross-elasticity of factor demand between unskilled and skilled workers is –0.3, and government implements a policy that results in an increase in demand for skilled workers.
b) The cross-elasticity of factor demand between unskilled workers and capital is 1, and government implements a policy that results in an increase in the demand for capital.
c) The cross-elasticity of factor demand between unskilled and immigrant workers is –1, and government implements a policy that results in an increase in demand for immigrant workers.
Cross elasticity of a factor demand refers how responsive demand for a factor is with respect to change in the demand for another factor,
a)
The cross-elasticity of factor demand between unskilled and skilled workers is –0.3, and government implements a policy that results in an increase in demand for skilled workers
- Since cross elasticity is negative, this means as demand for skilled workers increase, economy’s labor demand for unskilled workers will decrease.
b)
The cross-elasticity of factor demand between unskilled workers and capital is 1, and government implements a policy that results in an increase in the demand for capital.
- Since cross elasticity is unitary (+1), this means as demand for capital will increase, economy’s labor demand for unskilled workers will increase too.
c)
The cross-elasticity of factor demand between unskilled and immigrant workers is –1, and government implements a policy that results in an increase in demand for immigrant workers.
- Since cross elasticity is negative, this means as demand for immigrant workers increase, economy’s labor demand for unskilled workers will decrease in the same proportion.