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UNIT – II UTILITY ANALYSIS Introduction: A consumer demands a good or a
service. He demands a good because it gives him utility. Wants – satisfying
capacity of a good is called utility. Meaning of Utility: The term utility in
economics is used to denote that quality in a commodity or service by virtue of
which our wants are satisfied. In other words, want – satisfying power of a good
is called utility. Definitions: • According to Jevons, “Utility refers to
abstract quality whereby an object serves our purpose. • In the words of Hibdon,
“Utility is the quality of good to satisfy a want.” • According to Mrs.
Robinson, “Utility is the quality in commodities that makes individuals wants to
buy them”. Features: 1.Utility is Subjective: as it deals with the mental
satisfaction of a man. A thing may have different utility to different persons.
E.g. Liquor has utility for drunkard but for person who is teetotaller, it has
no utility. 2.Utility is Relative: As a utility of a commodity never remains the
same. It varies with time and place. E.g. Cooler has utility in summer not
during winter season. 3.Utility is not essentially Useful: A commodity having
utility need not be useful. E.g. Liquor and cigarette are not useful, but if
these things satisfy the want of addict then they have utility for him.
4.Utility is independent of Morality: It has nothing to do with morality. Use of
opium liquor may not be proper from moral point of view, but as these
intoxicants satisfy wants of the opium – eaters, drunkards, they have utility.
Concepts of Utility: 1)Initial Utility: The utility derived from the first unit
of commodity is called initial utility. It is obtained from the consumption of
the first unit of a commodity. It is always positive. 2)Total Utility: The
aggregate of utility obtained from the consumption of different units of a
commodity, is called Total utility. 1 Tux = f (Qx) Tux = total utility of x is a
function (f) of quantity of commodity x. 3)Marginal Utility: The change that
takes place in the total utility by the consumption of an additional unit of
commodity is called marginal utility. Marginal utility can be: a)Positive
Marginal Utility: If by consuming additional units of commodity, total utility
goes on increasing, then marginal utility of these units will be positive.
b)Zero Marginal Utility: If the consumption of additional unit of commodity
causes no change in the total utility, it means the marginal utility of
additional unit is zero. c)Negative Marginal Utility: If the consumption of an
additional unit of a commodity causes fall in total utility, it means the
marginal utility is negative. Relation between Total Utility and Marginal
Utility: Total utility is the summation of the marginal utilities of different
units of a commodity. Table: Quantity Total Utility Marginal Utility Description
0 0 - 1 8 8–0=8 Initial Utility 2 14 14 – 8 = 6 3 18 18 – 14 = 4 4 20 20 – 18 =
2 Positive Utility 5 20 20 – 20 = 0 Zero Utility 6 18 18 – 20 = -2 Negative
Utility Table shows that: a) As more and more units of commodity is consumed,
the marginal utility derived from each successive unit goes on diminishing. But
the total utility increases up to a limit. 2 MUnth = Tn – Tn-1 or MU = change
TU/ change Q MUnth = Marginal utility of nth unit.
Tn = total utility of n units.
Tn-1 = total utility of n-1 units
Change TU = change in total utility
Change Q = change in the quantity of commodity
TU = MU Total utility is summation of Marginal utility b) Marginal utility of
the first four units being positive, the total utility goes on increasing. Thus
as long as the marginal utility of the commodity remains positive, total utility
goes on increasing. c) Marginal utility of the fifth unit is zero. In this
situation total utility (20) will be maximum. This situation also represents
point of saturation. d) Marginal utility of the sixth unit is negative. As a
result of it, total utility of six units of the commodity falls from 20 to 18
units. Total Utility Curve [A] Y O X Marginal Utility Curve [B] YO X 3 OY – Axis
Utility, OX – Axis Quantity Figure A • TU represents Total utility • It slopes
upwards upto point F means TU is rising upto the consumption of 4 unit. • From
point F to G TU is constant • Point G represents maximum total utility. • After
point G, TU slopes downwards,
meaning there by utility becomes
negative and total utility begins to fall.
Figure B • MU represents Marginal Utility • It slopes downwards from left to
right;
MU of successive units goes on
diminishing.
• Upto fourth unit of commodity, MU goes
on diminishing but TU goes on
increasing.
• At the fifth unit MU curve touches OX –
axis, MU utility is zero and TU is
maximum.
• After fifth unit MU curve intersects Ox – a x is a n d s lo p e s d o w n w a
rd . M e a n s th a t Can utility be measured? It can be attempted to measure
by two methods: 1.Measurement in terms of Money: In order to measure the utility
in terms of money, it is estimated what amount of money a man is willing to pay
for a thing. 2.Measurement in terms of Units: Prof. Fisher has used the
term,“Util”, as a unit for the measurement of utility. In this method utility is
expressed in Utils. Criticism of the Measurement of Utility: It has been
criticized by Prof. Samuelson as the value of money keeps changing. Therefore
utility cannot be measured definitely in the terms of money. Laws of Utility
Analysis: Utility has two main laws: Law of Diminishing Marginal Utility Law of
Equi – Marginal Utility LAW OF DIMINISHING MARGINAL UTILITY Law of Diminishing
Marginal Utility is the foundation stone of utility analysis. All of us
experience this law in our daily life. If you buy pen at any given time, then as
the number with you is increasing, the marginal utility from each successive pen
in such a way that it has the same marginal utility in all.” • According to
Prof. Lipsey “The household maximizing utility will so allocate its expenditure
between commodities that the last penny spent on each is equal.” • According to
Samuelson “A consumer gets maximum satisfaction when the ratio of marginal
utilities of all commodities and their price is equal.” If the prices of the
commodities are equal, then maximum satisfaction to the consumer can be
indicated in the following equation: In the above equation MU1, MU2, MU3 refers
to marginal utility of the first, second, third commodity and P1, P2, P3 refers
to the price of all commodity. Assumptions: 1. Cardinal measurement of utility
is possible.
2. Consumer is rational that he wants maximum satisfaction from his income.
3. Income of consumer is constant.
4. Marginal utility of money remains constant.
5. Price of the commodity remains constant.
6. Commodity is divisible into small units.
7. The consumption takes place at a given period of time.
9 MU1 MU2 MU3 = = P1 P2 P3 MU1 = MU2 = MU3 Explanation: The law can be
explained with the help of table and figure below: Table Rupee Spent MU of
Mangoes MU of Milk 1st 12 10 2nd 10 8 3rd 8 6 4th 6 4 5th 4 2 Y MU of Mangoes Y
MU of Milk [A] [B] 12 12 10 10 Equi – Marginal Utility Line 8 Utility 8 6 6 4 4`
O 1 2 3 4 5 X O 1 2 3 4 5 X10 In the figure above: • OY axis – Marginal Utility,
OX – Units of Rupees • The figure indicates that if the income of the consumer
is Rs. 5, he will spend Rs. 3 on mangoes and Rs. 2 on milk because third rupee
spent on mangoes and second rupee spend on milk yield equal marginal utility
i.e. 8utils. • Line adjoins the figure represents equal marginal utility derived
from the last rupee spent on both the goods. • By distributing his income on
mangoes and milk in this manner the consumer gets total utility of 48 utils. •
It will be the maximum total utility derived by the consumer out of his
expenditure of Rs.5. • It is by spending his income the consumer in this manner
that the consumer will get maximum satisfaction. Y MU of Mangoes Y MU of Milk
12 12 10 10 E 8 A 8 F 6 B 6 4 Gain 4 Loss D C H G O 1 2 3 4 5 X O 1 2 3 4 5 X
Rupees Rupees Importance of the law: 1.Consumption Every consumer wants to get
maximum satisfaction from his limited means. He spends that last unit of money
in a way to get maximum satisfaction. 2.Production Every producer aims at
earning maximum profit. A producer must go on substituting various factors until
marginal productivity of each factor is equal. 3.Exchange It implies replacing
of goods giving less utility with goods giving more utility. Acting upon the law
every person will go on substituting goods giving more utility for the ones
giving less utility, till the marginal utility of all becomes equal.
4.Distribution It refers to the distribution of national income among the
factors of production that is land labor, capital etc. it is done in such a way
that in the long run every factor gets share out of national income according to
its marginal utility. 5.Public finance The law also has importance in this
sphere of public finance, that revenue and expenditure of the sate. It is
insured that the marginal benefit of every type of expenditure should be equal.
6.Distribution of income between saving and consumption According to this law
income should be distributed between consumption and saving that the last unit
of 11 • If the consumer spends his income on mangoes a milk in any other manner,
then his total utility will be less than the maximum; as in figure above. • OX
axis – Rupees OY axis – M. Utility • It is evident from the figure that by
spending one rupee on mangoes the consumer gains 6utils of marginal utility as
shown by ABCD area. • Similarly by spending one rupee less on milk, the consumer
loses 8utils of marginal utility as shown by EFGH area. money spent on present
consumption should yield the same utility as the last unit of money kept in the
form of saving. Such a distribution is called optimum allocation. 7.Optimum
distribution of commodities Optimum distribution of commodities refers to that
distribution, a slight change whereof may diminish the total utility enjoyed by
society as a whole. Optimum distribution becomes possible when a commodity is
distributed among different persons in such a way that marginal utility derives
from each person becomes equal. 8.Distribution of assets: This law helps people
distribute their assets in different forms like bank deposits, bonds, stock,
share etc. According to this law, investment should be made in different form of
assets in such a way that last unit of money invested in each form should yield
equal marginal utility. Criticism of the Law: 1.Consumers are not fully rational
The assumption that consumers are not fully rational is not correct. Some
consumers are idle by nature, and so to satisfy their habits and customs, they
sometimes buy goods yielding less utility. Consequently they do not get maximum
satisfaction. 2.Consumer is not calculating. The law is based on wrong
assumption that while spending his income a consumer constantly calculates the
utility derived by him out of each rupee spent. In actual life one hardly comes
across such a calculating consumer. So the application of this law is
practically difficult. 3.Shortage of goods If goods giving more utility are not
available in the market, the consumption will have to consume goods yielding
less utility. 4.Influence of Fashion, Customs and Habits Actual expenditure of
every consumer is influenced by fashion, customs, and habits. Under their
influence, many a time consumer buys more of such goods which give less utility.
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