Some people worry that the fast food restaurant industry will have a harder time attracting teenage workers in the years to come because baby boomers had fewer children than earlier generations. a . Explain how fewer teenagers might lead to higher hamburger prices b. Explain how retirees, who need more supplemental income, might change your answer to part a

a . As the supply of teen-aged workers falls, the wage rate for teen-aged workers must rise, ceteris
paribus. This means higher resource prices for the fast food industry, so the supply curve for
hamburgers will shift to the left, leading to higher hamburger prices and fewer hamburgers sold.
b. The supply of "retirees" to the fast food industry may increase, offsetting the decreased supply of
teenagers. Depending on the relative size of the two shifts, the price of hamburgers may rise, fall, or
stay the same.

Economics

You might also like to view...

When a firm is experiencing diseconomies of scale:

A. It should increase the amount of labor it hires B. It should lower its price to the competitive level C. Its average total costs will decline if it reduces its scale of operations D. It should increase the size of its plant to decrease its average total costs

Economics

Refer to the graphs shown. Assume the graph reflects demand in the egg market. Which arrow best captures the impact of increased consumer concern about cholesterol on the egg market? 

A. A B. B C. C D. D

Economics