An input is inferior if and only if an increase in its price raises all marginal productivities. A sufficient condition for input inferiority under quasi-concavity of the production function is then that there are increasing marginal returns with respect to the other input and a non-positive marginal productivity cross derivative. Thus, contrary to widespread opinion, input "competitiveness" is not needed. We discuss these facts and illustrate them by introducing a class of simple production function functional forms. Our results suggest that the existence of inferior inputs is naturally associated with increasing returns, and possibly strengthen the case for inferiority considerably

Bertoletti, P., Rampa, G. (2013). On inferior inputs and marginal returns. JOURNAL OF ECONOMICS, 109(3), 303-313 [10.1007/s00712-012-0294-4].

On inferior inputs and marginal returns

BERTOLETTI, P
;
2013

Abstract

An input is inferior if and only if an increase in its price raises all marginal productivities. A sufficient condition for input inferiority under quasi-concavity of the production function is then that there are increasing marginal returns with respect to the other input and a non-positive marginal productivity cross derivative. Thus, contrary to widespread opinion, input "competitiveness" is not needed. We discuss these facts and illustrate them by introducing a class of simple production function functional forms. Our results suggest that the existence of inferior inputs is naturally associated with increasing returns, and possibly strengthen the case for inferiority considerably
Articolo in rivista - Articolo scientifico
Inferior and normal inputs; Marginal productivity; Homotheticity
English
2013
109
3
303
313
none
Bertoletti, P., Rampa, G. (2013). On inferior inputs and marginal returns. JOURNAL OF ECONOMICS, 109(3), 303-313 [10.1007/s00712-012-0294-4].
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/10281/244360
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