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Showing posts with the label rational spending

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

Rational Spending Rule : To be rational or not

Rational spending rule, despite the abstract derivation, can be used to make sense of several real world phenomenon.                                                 Some cities have grown vertically while the rest have grown horizontally. To use popular analogy, it can be described as the lift vs the car model. The answers can be sought in utility analysis. Cities which are short of space find it difficult to accommodate people close to the city center. The cost of land being high deter people and either move them to the margins or compel to look at alternatives. Similar is the case with commercial space in land starved locations. An analysis would probably reveal a greater spending on alternative goods than housing.   It need not necessarily be for upper income groups alone. Experts have often wondered on the increased consumption of consumer electronics or durable goods in poorer localities. Dharavi in Mumbai may not have enough space to provide basic housing and sanita