Until the early seventies, given the fixed rate regime, the foreign exchange market was perceived as a mechanism merely to put through merchant transactions. With the collapse of the Breton Woods agreement and the floatation of major currencies, the conduct of exchange rate policy posed a great challenge to central banks as currency fluctuations opened up tremendous opportunities for market players to trade in currency volatilities in a borderless market. The market in Indian, however, remained insulated as exchange rate controls inhibited capital movements and the banks were required to undertake cover operations and maintain a square position at all times. Slowly a demand began to build up that banks in India be permitted to trade in FOREX. In response to this demand the RBI, as a first step, permitted banks to undertake intra-day trade in FOREX in 1978. As a consequence, the stipulation of maintaining square or near square Continue reading
Managerial Economics
Managerial Economics generally refers to the integration of economic theory with business practice. It deals with the use of economic concepts and principles of business decision making. Managerial Economics is thus constituted of that part of economic knowledge or economic theories which is used as a tool of analyzing business problems for rational business decisions. Managerial economics can be viewed by most modern economists as a practical application of economics theory in using effectively the firms scarce resources.
Cost Reduction in Managerial Economics
The Institute of Cost and Works Accounts of London has defined cost reduction as “the achievement of real and permanent reductions in the unit costs of goods manufactured or services rendered without impairing their suitability for the use intended”. Thus, cost reduction is confined to savings in the cost of manufacture, administration, distribution and selling by eliminating wasteful and unnecessary elements from the product design and from the techniques and practices carried out in connection with cost control. Cost Control and Cost Reduction According to the Institute of Cost and Works Accounts, London, “cost control, as generally practiced, lacks the dynamic approach to many factors affecting costs, which determine the need of cost reduction.” In fact, cost control also known as cost management or cost containment; it controls the costs of the organization at the given level. Besides, cost control emphasis on ensuring that the cost does not exceed Continue reading
Inflation: Meaning, Causes, and Effects
Inflation can be characterized as a rise in the general value level and therefore there is a fall in the estimation of cash. Inflation happens when the measure of purchasing power is higher than the yield of merchandise and ventures. Inflation additionally happens when the measure of cash surpasses the measure of enterprises accessible. Regarding whether the falling the estimation of cash will influence the elements of cash relies upon the level of the fall. Fundamentally, alludes to an expansion in the supply of money or credit with respect to the accessibility of stock and venture, bringing about higher costs. In this manner, expansion can be estimated as far as rates. The rate increment in the value list, as a rate for every penny per unit of time, or, in other words, years. The two fundamental cost lists are utilized when estimating inflation, the Producer Price Index(PPI) and the Consumer Continue reading
Significance of Money in Modern Economic Life
Money occupies a central position in our modern economy. Money is everywhere and for everything in the modern economic life. Money has become the religion of the day in the ordinary business of life. Every branch of economic activity in a money economy is basically different from what it would have been in a barter economy. Money has created a far reaching effect on all facets of economic activities; consumption, production, exchange and distribution, as also on public finance and economic welfare. Money and Consumption Money enables a consumer to generalize his purchasing power. It gives him command over a wide variety of goods. It enables him to canalize his purchasing power and get what he wants. In fact, it is money through its immense purchasing power that makes a consumer sovereign in a capitalist economy. The consumer’s sovereignty can be expressed through money spending. Money provides freedom of choice Continue reading
Revenue Structure of a Firm under Perfect Competition
One of the distinguishing characteristics of perfect competition is the presence of an infinite number of firms producing homogeneous product. The number of firms is so large that a single firm’s contribution to the total output of the product in the market is insignificant or microscopic. The firm under perfect competition can neither influence the price nor the output in the market. In fact, it has to take the going-market price, i.e. the price prevailing in the market as is determined by the forces of demand and supply. It is in this context that the firm under perfect competition is referred to as price-taker and not a price maker. The revenue structure of the firm under perfect competition is influenced by this characteristic of perfect competition. Let us assume that the price of the product X as determined in the market by the forces of Continue reading
The Role of Government in Environmental Protection
The final controlling authority in most of the issues related to environment is the government itself. For example, most of the thermal power plants are owned by the government and also only the government can build dams, roads, railways, etc. Industrial or any other related activity cannot start without the approval of the government. Therefore, the government has to apply various checks and controls so that the environment is managed properly. How can the government establish incentives that would lead industries to choose the efficient amount of pollution control in their own best interest, even if they do not face all the social costs of residual emissions? 1. Direct Regulation Direct regulation of polluting activity (i.e., setting a legal limit for pollution) frequently comes to mind. The government could, for example, simply limit the industry’s pollution to R units by decree. Direct regulation of this sort was popular in the Continue reading