Question

Oscar's Flower Shop maximizes profits by hiring four workers in a perfectly competitive labor market. The workers and their value of the marginal product of labor are Noe, $40; Barbara, $35; Calvin, $27; and Diana, $15. According to the marginal productivity theoryof income distribution, which of the following statements is TRUE?

A)In equilibrium, each worker is paid his or her value of the marginal product of labor.
B)Each worker is paid a wage equal to the highest value of the marginal product of labor(i.e., $40).
C)Each worker is paid $15.
D)We need to know the product price before we can figure out the wage rate.

Answer 1

Answer: A. In equilibrium, each worker is paid is or her value of marginal product of labour.

Explanation:

Marginal productivity of income distribution refers to the additional revenue derived from the marginal unit of product produced and that wages should be equal to the marginal revenue derived from the production of additional or marginal product and this is achieved at equilibrium.

The theory also implies that workers should not be paid below or above the marginal revenue derivable from marginal product which implies they cannot be paid $15 or $40, moreover the product price is not a determinant of wages rate.