--%>

What is the opportunity cost of your decision

Suppose you arrive at a store expecting to pay $100 for an item, but learn that a store two miles away is charging $50 for it.  Would you drive there and buy it?  How does your decision benefit you?  What is the opportunity cost of your decision?  Now suppose you arrive at a store expecting to pay $6000 for an item, but learn that it costs $5950 at the other store.  Do you make the same decision as before? Perhaps surprisingly, you should!  Explain why.

E

Expert

Verified

Driving to the other store to save $50 does involve some cost in terms of time and inconvenience.  However, for most of us the time it takes to drive two miles would be worth $50.  For example, if it takes about ten minutes extra time and a negligible amount of gasoline (unless your time is worth $300 an hour, or $50 per each ten-minute period), it would benefit you to drive to the other store.  While in the second case, $50 may seem like less compared to the $6000 total price, for you the $50 is still a $50 savings, exactly the same as in the first case.  Therefore, you should apply the same reasoning.  Is the $50 benefit from driving the extra two miles worth the cost?  The conclusion should be the same in both cases.

   Related Questions in Business Economics

  • Q : Introduction of the term Control

    Give a brief introduction of the term Control Principle?

  • Q : Explain about the principle of

    Economic efficiency needs that, relative to the other goods which different individuals might consume, the people who value exact goods relatively the most should own and/or use all goods. Such principle is termed as: (i) economic equity. (ii) allocat

  • Q : Explain the markets and prices of the

    Explain the markets and prices of the Market System?

  • Q : Decentralized a virtue of capitalism

    The idea which a virtue of capitalism is decentralized its decision making emerged while: (1) social philosophers looked for alternatives to feudal kings like economic regulators. (2) Russian imperialism fostered anti-communist sentiment after World W

  • Q : What is an inverse relationship Briefly

    Briefly explain the use of graphs as a way to present economic relationships. What is an inverse relationship?

  • Q : Elucidate the growth record of the

    Elucidate the growth record of the United States?

  • Q : Explain the term Price Earnings Ratio

    Briefly explain the term Price Earnings Ratio (or P/E Ratio)?

  • Q : Independent queue vs. pooled queue

    Instruction: McDonald's vs. Burger King - these two fast food chains use different waiting line design: Independent queue vs. pooled queue. To compare the two different queue systems on equal footing, let's assume that we pick a McDonald's sto

  • Q : Comparison between EVA and Ratio

    Comparison between EVA and Ratio Analysis: EVA helps in measuring the economic performance of the company. It is the profit earned by the firm less the cost of financing the firm’s capital. It shows that the shareholders gain when the return fro

  • Q : Roundabout production Describe the

    Describe the merits of “roundabout” production?  Describe the term “division of labor”?