Questions from General Economics


Q: How would you use the principle of weighing up marginal costs and

How would you use the principle of weighing up marginal costs and marginal benefits when deciding whether to (a) buy a new car; (b) study for an extra hour? How would a firm use the same principle w...

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Q: If two or more firms were charging similar prices, what types

If two or more firms were charging similar prices, what types of evidence would you look for to prove that this was collusion rather than mere coincidence?

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Q: Should governments or regulators always attempt to eliminate the supernormal profits of

Should governments or regulators always attempt to eliminate the supernormal profits of monopolists/oligopolists?

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Q: Should regulators of utilities that have been privatised into several separate company’s

Should regulators of utilities that have been privatised into several separate company’s permit (a) horizontal mergers (within the industry); (b) vertical mergers; (c) mergers with firms in other re...

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Q: Distinguish between publicly provided goods, public goods and merit goods.

Distinguish between publicly provided goods, public goods and merit goods.

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Q: Some roads could be regarded as a public good, but some

Some roads could be regarded as a public good, but some could be provided by the market. Which types of road could be provided by the market? Why? Would it be a good idea?

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Q: Make a list of pieces of information a firm might want to

Make a list of pieces of information a firm might want to know and consider whether it could buy the information and how reliable that information might be.

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Q: Why might it be better to ban certain activities that cause environmental

Why might it be better to ban certain activities that cause environmental damage rather than to tax them?

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Q: How suitable are legal restrictions in the following cases? (

How suitable are legal restrictions in the following cases? (a) Ensuring adequate vehicle safety (e.g. tyres with sufficient tread or roadworthy vehicles). (b) Reducing traffic congestion. (c) Prevent...

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Q: In what ways might business be socially responsible?

In what ways might business be socially responsible?

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