Background
In economics, elasticity measures how much one variable responds to changes in another variable. The term “elastic” specifically refers to cases when this responsiveness is greater than proportional, signifying a high sensitivity to changes in other economic variables.
Historical Context
The concept of elasticity was first introduced by Alfred Marshall in the 19th century. This concept has proven fundamental in various fields of economics, illustrating how consumers and producers react to changes in prices and other economic factors.
Definitions and Concepts
“Elastic” refers to a scenario wherein the elasticity of one variable in relation to another is greater than 1 in absolute terms. This implies that the percentage change in the dependent variable is greater than the percentage change in the independent variable.
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Price-Elastic Demand: If the demand for a good is price-elastic, the quantity demanded decreases by a larger percentage than the increase in price.
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Price-Elastic Supply: If the supply of a good is price-elastic, the quantity supplied increases by a larger percentage than the increase in price.
Major Analytical Frameworks
Classical Economics
Classical economics often emphasized longer-term factors but recognized elasticity implicitly through the labor market and international trade dynamics.
Neoclassical Economics
Neoclassical models provide precise mathematical tools to calculate and analyze elasticity. They form the basis of modern understanding of supply and demand interactions.
Keynesian Economics
Keynesian economics focuses largely on income elasticity of demand and its impact on total consumption in the economy.
Marxian Economics
In Marxian Economics, the emphasis is more on the relations of production rather than the elastic responses to price in the market. However, aspects of elasticity can be discussed in labor power negotiations.
Institutional Economics
Institutional economists might analyze how elasticity varies across different institutional contexts, like differing regulatory environments or social norms.
Behavioral Economics
Behavioral economists study how factors like behavioral biases and cognitive limitations can affect perceived elasticity.
Post-Keynesian Economics
Post-Keynesian theories expand on Keynes, analyzing how uncertainties affect elasticity particularly in financial and labor markets.
Austrian Economics
Austrian economists focus on the qualitative aspects of human action and decision-making, less on quantitative measures like elasticity. However, they do recognize its importance in market signaling.
Development Economics
Elasticity in development economics helps to understand how developing economies respond to changes in global market prices, affecting both supply and demand.
Monetarism
Monetarists emphasize how changes in the money supply influence inflationary tendencies which can affect elasticities in various markets.
Comparative Analysis
Comparatively, price elasticity of demand tends to be higher in markets for luxury goods than for essential goods. Similarly, elasticity can differ based on the time frame, availability of substitutes, and necessity of the good or service in question.
Case Studies
- Oil Market: Examining the price elasticity of demand for oil can illustrate sensitivity to price changes due to its inelastic nature.
- Technology Goods: High elasticity often found in consumer electronics markets, showcasing high sensitivity to price changes.
- Agriculture: Substantial fluctuations in supply elasticity can be observed in agricultural products due to seasonal variations.
Suggested Books for Further Studies
- “Principles of Economics” by Alfred Marshall
- “Intermediate Microeconomics: A Modern Approach” by Hal R. Varian
- “Price Theory and Applications” by Steven Landsburg
- “Economics” by Paul Samuelson and William Nordhaus
Related Terms with Definitions
- Inelastic: A variable whose elasticity with respect to another variable has an absolute value less than 1.
- Unitary Elastic: A situation where the percentage change in quantity demanded or supplied is equal to the percentage change in price
- Income Elasticity of Demand: A measure of responsiveness of quantity demanded to a change in consumer income.
- Cross-Price Elasticity of Demand: Measures the responsiveness of the quantity demanded for a good to a change in the price of another good.
