Consider a hypothetical economy in which the labor force consists of 200 people. Of those, 180 people are employed full-time and 20 people are unemployed. The economy follows the same conventions as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in computing its employment figures. Therefore, initially the unemployment rate is calculated as follows: Unemployment Rate = Number of Unemployed People Number of People in the Labor Force x 100 20 x 100 %3D 200 = 10% Suppose a reduction in foreign demand for this economy's products causes an economic recession-a prolonged period of declining output. The following table offers two possible scenarios resulting from the recession.

ENGR.ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
14th Edition
ISBN:9780190931919
Author:NEWNAN
Publisher:NEWNAN
Chapter1: Making Economics Decisions
Section: Chapter Questions
Problem 1QTC
icon
Related questions
Question
Consider a hypothetical economy in which the labor force consists of 200 people. Of those, 180 people are employed full-time and 20 people are
unemployed. The economy follows the same conventions as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in computing its employment figures. Therefore,
initially the unemployment rate is calculated as follows:
Unemployment Rate
Number of Unemployed People
Number of People in the Labor Force
х 100
20
х 100
200
= 10%
Suppose a reduction in foreign demand for this economy's products causes an economic recession-a prolonged period of declining output. The
following table offers two possible scenarios resulting from the recession.
Calculate the unemployment rate associated with each scenario in the following table. Assume that each scenario describes the only labor market
changes in this economy.
Scenario
Unemployment Rate
A: Firms reduce work hours by 10%. The number of involuntary part-time workers rises
%
as firms respond to the reduction in the demand for their products by reducing the hours
of each employed person from 40 to 36 hours per week.
B: Firms reduce employment by 10%. The number of unemployed workers rises as firms
respond to the reduction in the demand for their products by laying off 18 previously
employed workers.
True or False: The unemployment rate for scenario A in the previous table overstates the true extent of underemployment in the economy because the
BLS counts part-time workers as employed.
O True
False
I|||
Transcribed Image Text:Consider a hypothetical economy in which the labor force consists of 200 people. Of those, 180 people are employed full-time and 20 people are unemployed. The economy follows the same conventions as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in computing its employment figures. Therefore, initially the unemployment rate is calculated as follows: Unemployment Rate Number of Unemployed People Number of People in the Labor Force х 100 20 х 100 200 = 10% Suppose a reduction in foreign demand for this economy's products causes an economic recession-a prolonged period of declining output. The following table offers two possible scenarios resulting from the recession. Calculate the unemployment rate associated with each scenario in the following table. Assume that each scenario describes the only labor market changes in this economy. Scenario Unemployment Rate A: Firms reduce work hours by 10%. The number of involuntary part-time workers rises % as firms respond to the reduction in the demand for their products by reducing the hours of each employed person from 40 to 36 hours per week. B: Firms reduce employment by 10%. The number of unemployed workers rises as firms respond to the reduction in the demand for their products by laying off 18 previously employed workers. True or False: The unemployment rate for scenario A in the previous table overstates the true extent of underemployment in the economy because the BLS counts part-time workers as employed. O True False I|||
Expert Solution
trending now

Trending now

This is a popular solution!

steps

Step by step

Solved in 2 steps

Blurred answer
Similar questions
  • SEE MORE QUESTIONS
Recommended textbooks for you
ENGR.ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
ENGR.ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
Economics
ISBN:
9780190931919
Author:
NEWNAN
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
Principles of Economics (12th Edition)
Principles of Economics (12th Edition)
Economics
ISBN:
9780134078779
Author:
Karl E. Case, Ray C. Fair, Sharon E. Oster
Publisher:
PEARSON
Engineering Economy (17th Edition)
Engineering Economy (17th Edition)
Economics
ISBN:
9780134870069
Author:
William G. Sullivan, Elin M. Wicks, C. Patrick Koelling
Publisher:
PEARSON
Principles of Economics (MindTap Course List)
Principles of Economics (MindTap Course List)
Economics
ISBN:
9781305585126
Author:
N. Gregory Mankiw
Publisher:
Cengage Learning
Managerial Economics: A Problem Solving Approach
Managerial Economics: A Problem Solving Approach
Economics
ISBN:
9781337106665
Author:
Luke M. Froeb, Brian T. McCann, Michael R. Ward, Mike Shor
Publisher:
Cengage Learning
Managerial Economics & Business Strategy (Mcgraw-…
Managerial Economics & Business Strategy (Mcgraw-…
Economics
ISBN:
9781259290619
Author:
Michael Baye, Jeff Prince
Publisher:
McGraw-Hill Education