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Showing posts with the label diminishing marginal utility

Decision Making as Output and Bounded Rationality

  The classical economics theories proceed on the assumption of rational agents. Rationality implies the economic agents undertake actions or exercise choices based on the cost-benefit analysis they undertake. The assumption further posits that there exists no information asymmetry and thus the agent is aware of all the costs and benefits associated with the choice he or she has exercised. The behavioral school contested the decision stating the decisions in practice are often irrational. Implied there is a continuous departure from rationality. Rationality in the views of the behavioral school is more an exception to the norm rather a rule. The past posts have discussed the limitations of this view by the behavioral school. Economics has often posited rationality in the context in which the choices are exercised rather than theoretical abstract view of rational action. Rational action in theory seems to be grounded in zero restraint situation yet in practice, there are numerous restra

Intellectual Property Differentials Across Industries

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  The debate on intellectual property rights (IPRs) at the global level seems to rest primarily on a single size fits all model. The US driven agenda to enforce stricter norms for IP across countries is ostensibly an attempt to push the US agenda. Now that the incoming US administration led by President Biden is likely to revive TPP, it is possible that IP issues might come to the fore yet again. However, while examining the empirical realities, the IP practices vary from industry to industry. Rarely there exists an industry which has an uniform IP practice relative to other industries. It must beg to be explained why the differentials in IP exists across industries. In an earlier paper, one had discussed at certain length on how IP differentials could be linked to interplay between costs and utility. In economics, firms strive for profit maximization while consumers seek maximization of utility. The interplay between the two can be analysed through an examination of the firm’s cost

Unlimited all the way- Diminishing Marginal Utility in Practice?

As one walks in to a five star hotel, we find ourselves inclined to try Buffet Meals for a fixed price. Andhra restaurants have become popular for offering unlimited meals. As we visit few amusement parks, we find they charge a fixed entrance fee and let us enjoy unlimited rides. Mobile service providers woo customers by offering unlimited SMS per day at a flat fee. Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) lures us to try its buses with a day pass (unlimited rides for a flat fee for the calendar day). Further for ages we have had the concept of Bus passes for students and frequent users as also the Suburban rail passes in Mumbai and other cities in India.   Internet service providers offer unlimited browsing per month for a flat fee. Unlimited rides in public transports, enjoy unlimited SMS, telephone calls, internet usage or even unlimited cuisine sound attractive and are part and parcel of our daily economic life. Yet step back and wonder what logic prevails here. Th