A4 Industrial produces hydraulic pumps using a process that can be approximated
ID: 1113210 • Letter: A
Question
A4 Industrial produces hydraulic pumps using a process that can be approximated by a Cobb-Douglas production function. The production method uses tool shops that contain pieces of equipment that can be operated by a varying number of workers. The number of shops (units of variable capital) used during the month are given. The firm also hires skilled workers, and the number of full-time skilled workers hired for the month is given. The monthly output (number of pumps) produced is also given. The manager wants to estimate the Cobb-Douglas production function in order to determine the number of shops and number of workers required to achieve various levels of production.
The manager thus asks you to estimate a log-linear regression model based on the following monthly data over the last 2 years.
Q = quantity of boats produced per year
L = number of full-time workers per year
K = capital (number of shops) rented per year
P = average selling price per pump sold
Month
t
L
K
Q
P
Oct-15
1
120
25
1150
$438.93
Nov-15
2
122
25
1170
$437.88
Dec-15
3
118
26
1160
$438.46
Jan-16
4
110
26
1122
$440.14
Feb-16
5
116
24
1128
$439.96
Mar-16
6
120
24
1146
$439.01
Apr-16
7
124
27
1193
$436.90
May-16
8
125
27
1202
$436.38
Jun-16
9
130
28
1235
$434.92
Jul-16
10
127
28
1219
$435.58
Aug-16
11
128
27
1216
$435.85
Sep-16
12
136
27
1250
$434.09
Oct-16
13
140
27
1265
$433.54
Nov-16
14
135
28
1255
$433.85
Dec-16
15
130
28
1233
$435.05
Jan-17
16
135
29
1264
$433.43
Feb-17
17
128
29
1235
$434.95
Mar-17
18
138
30
1286
$432.39
Apr-17
19
145
30
1315
$431.19
May-17
20
141
28
1282
$432.58
Jun-17
21
134
29
1260
$433.78
Jul-17
22
140
29.0
1290
$432.20
Aug-17
23
142
30.0
1300
$431.89
Sep-17
24
146
30.0
1324
$430.72
A4 Industrial hires labor and procures capital in competitive input markets. For that last two years, the input prices have been constant, and given as follows:
w = $2,400 = monthly wage rate per worker
r = $1,600 = monthly rental rate per shop
The firm also faces fixed cost (FC) of building rental, fixed capital, and overhead expenses given as follows:
f = $60,000
Month
t
L
K
Q
P
Oct-15
1
120
25
1150
$438.93
Nov-15
2
122
25
1170
$437.88
Dec-15
3
118
26
1160
$438.46
Jan-16
4
110
26
1122
$440.14
Feb-16
5
116
24
1128
$439.96
Mar-16
6
120
24
1146
$439.01
Apr-16
7
124
27
1193
$436.90
May-16
8
125
27
1202
$436.38
Jun-16
9
130
28
1235
$434.92
Jul-16
10
127
28
1219
$435.58
Aug-16
11
128
27
1216
$435.85
Sep-16
12
136
27
1250
$434.09
Oct-16
13
140
27
1265
$433.54
Nov-16
14
135
28
1255
$433.85
Dec-16
15
130
28
1233
$435.05
Jan-17
16
135
29
1264
$433.43
Feb-17
17
128
29
1235
$434.95
Mar-17
18
138
30
1286
$432.39
Apr-17
19
145
30
1315
$431.19
May-17
20
141
28
1282
$432.58
Jun-17
21
134
29
1260
$433.78
Jul-17
22
140
29.0
1290
$432.20
Aug-17
23
142
30.0
1300
$431.89
Sep-17
24
146
30.0
1324
$430.72
6. When the firm maximizes profit (and given the choice of output, also minimizes costs), what is the marginal rate of technical substitution (which, of course, is also equal to the slope of the isocost line at the cost-minimizing point)? MRTSKL -# =Explanation / Answer
[ Only for reference since the question talks about log linear version of Cobb douglas function
The log linear form of Cobb-Douglas production function will be -
log Q = A + B*log L + C*log K
Below are regression results -
Log Q = 1.7742 + 0.4668*Log K + 0.2279*Log L]
6. The iso-cost line equation is -
2400L+ 16000K = C
2400 dL + 1600 dK = dC
dc = 0
2400 + 1600 dk/dL = 0
dk/dL = -2400/1600 =-1.5
The MRTS = dk/dL = - 1.5
Dependent var:Log Q Coefficients Standard Error t Stat P-value Intercept 1.7742 0.01 137.36 0.00 Log K 0.4668 0.01 45.40 0.00 Log L 0.2279 0.01 19.89 0.00Related Questions
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