Analysis of Cost Benefit and About Cost Benefits

Cost Benefit analysis is done for the public investment projects. This is used to judge the desirability of public investment of any public products or investment. In this, we don’t analyze the money cost and money benefit; but real cost and real benefit. Here it is concerned with social benefit and social cost. Cost benefit analysis is done for the public products to analysis the social benefits from the public investments. Let us take up an example of construction of a subway.

In the above figure, on the X axis we measure the number of journeys made per week and on Y axis cost per journey. DD shows the demand curve for the journey on that route.

If OP1 is the cost per journey, two wheelers are ready to pay OD as price. So, the consumer surplus is P1AD. This is the situation before the construction of a subway. Now, when a public investment on subway is decided, then the cost benefit analysis is done to see whether this particular investment is beneficial to the society. After the construction of the subway the price of the cost per journey will come to OP2 and the number of journeys will increase to OQ2 which shows that the consumer surplus will increase after the construction of the subway. Before the construction of subway consumer surplus is P1AD and after the subway it will be P2CD. This shows that there is increase in consumer surplus that will be P1ACP2.

There are two parts of the increase in consumer surplus P2 CAP1

P2BAP – increase surplus is due to decrease in the price of cost per journey.

ABC – the increase in consumer surplus due to the increase in number of journeys on that route.

The cost saving segment is the main component to the consumer surplus.

Equilibrium under Perfect Competition of Market

There is a demand curve under perfect competition:

Equilibrium under perfect competition

This is a horizontal demand of curve. So, the price is given and the firm has to decide the output to be produced according to their cost condition at that price.

Equilibrium Condition or the optimal output level:

The firm which wants to maximize its profit and minimize the loss should produce a output where MR=MC. This condition is applied to all the firms regardless of whether it has the control to set the price or not. But where the firm has no power to decide, the price MR is the going market price (P=MR).

Revenue and cost concept tells that TR-TC is total profit. Similarly, MR-MC is the marginal profit. When both reach at this point that is MR=MC. This formula shows that the firm can make no more profit and therefore should stop there. This is called output level.

We can show the equilibrium condition under perfect competition as:

Equilibrium Condition under Perfect Competition

After this condition there are short run equilibrium with loss and long run equilibrium. The short run equilibrium with loss brings a condition of shut down point. In short run, the firm may continue its production to recover losses in long run.

We assume that all the firms have identical cost condition in the industry. In the short run, the firm will keep on producing even when it is incurring loss. But in the long run, the firm, which is not even getting normal profit, will shut down.

The existing firms will return to normal profits from super profits. So, in long run, under perfect competition the firm incurs normal profit. There are no super normal profit and no huge loss.

This concept brings an understanding about market and competition of market. This curve is applied in all competition of market.

Cost and Importance of Cost Analysis in Market

Cost is important aspect in business decision. There are different types of cost:

Opportunity cost: It is the most important and useful concept of economic analysis. Opportunity cost is known as the amount that is foregone in choosing an activity over the next best alternative.

Explicit and Implicit cost: Explicit costs are involved in actual payment to the other parties. Implicit costs are known as the value of foregone opportunities. It is not involve in an actual payment. Implicit costs are also important as the explicit costs. Sometimes implicit costs are neglected.

Sunk, incremental cost and marginal cost – Sunk costs are known as fixed costs. It is known as irrelevant costs also in daily decision making. Incremental cost is known as total additional cost of implementing managerial decision. Managerial costs are known as total cost which is associated with one unit change in output.

Incremental cost is the most important cost in real world’s business. It is applicable in real business world.

Direct and Indirect cost: Direct costs are known as the direct attribute to production of a particular product. On the other hands, indirect costs are those costs which are incurred on stationary, electricity bills, administrative expenses etc. These can’t be separated accurately or easily into individual units of production.

Fixed and Variable cost: Fixed costs incurred when output is zero. It doesn’t vary with changes in output. Variable costs change with change in output. It increases when out is increased. It decreases when out put is decreased.

Short Run Period:

It is a time of period when a fixed cost and some variable costs are fixed. In this period fixed cost can not be changed but variable cost can be increased or decreased.

Long Run Period:

It is a long period to change all the factors of production which means there are no fixed factors. All the factors are known as variable factors. In this time, business decisions are made, except on the level of technology.

Cost Output and Relationship:

Short run cost curve is divided into total fixed cost and total variable cost. So, we can indicate it as:

TC = TFC+TVC
TC = Total Cost
TFC = Total Fixed Cost
TVC = Total Variable Cost

TVC is known as the total variable cost which changes directly with the change in output. It refers cost of labour, raw material, power etc.

We can show it in a figure:

Total Fixed Cost Curve

There is another diagram which will show the curve of Total Variable Cost:

Total Variable Cost Curve

We can show the diagram to put all the curves also:

The TC, TVC and TFC Curves

At last, we can say that costs are very important in decision making because though all the units are sold in the same price but the cost of production of these units are not same. Marginal cost and incremental cost are relevant in decision making whereas sunk cost are irrelevant.

Analysis and Schedule of Law of Supply for Market

There is an inter-relation between a commodity price and supply. Any changes in prices cause the result of extension or contraction of supply. If price increases, there is extension of supply. If price decreases, there is contraction of supply. There is a law of supply which shows the relationship between price and quantity of a particular product supply. Demand and supply are depended on price. If the price matches to quantity demand and quantity supply that means it is equilibrium price. That quantity which is bought and sold at the equilibrium price is called equilibrium quantity. There are basic concepts of supply, law of supply and equilibrium detail.

Supply Analysis:

Supply is related to various quantities of goods, which a seller has wish and able to sell at a different price in a given market at a particular time, other things remaining constant. So, supply is related to amount or quantities which are not coming to market for sale and not the stock in a go-down.

The supply schedule: It shows the schedule of goods and services at different prices. There is an example of supply schedule for Rice.

Now, we can draw a supply schedule curve on the basis of Supply schedule of Rice. Here X-axis shows quantity supply and Y-axis show price. Here, price increases as supply of quantity increases.

Supply Curve

Law of Supply:

It shows the relationship between price and quantity supplied of a particular product. It is known as positive relation when price increases the quantity supply, supply will also increase. We can assume price changes if other things are constant as:

Law of Supply

Shift in Supply:

Supply curve changes in quantity supply if there is any factor other than price. It happens when, the supply curve shifts entirely right or left.

Shift in Supply Curve to right

Shift in Supply Curve to Left

Factors affecting supply:

There are many factors which affect supply like – change in the cost of production, state of technology, political uncertainty and natural factors.

So, all these are law of supply and demand which describes the equilibrium of demand and supply. There are price factors, quantity factors and many other factors which affect all these circles.

Understanding Cost from Financial Books

To explain about cost we start from the meaning of cost. According to Institute of Cost and management Accounts (ICMA) London in 1982, “the amount of expenditure (actual or national) incurred on, or attributable to a specified thing or activity.” According to the definition it is clear that cost may be the actual expenditure of national chares.

After the definition of cost we will go with the classification of costs:

1. Nature or Elements
2. Functions or Operations
3. Traceability
4. Variability or Behaviour
5. Controllability
6. Normality
7. Managerial Purposes

Now, we will explain about the costs along with graphs:

Fixed Cost graph:

Total Fixed Costs:

Unit Fixed Costs

Variable Costs known as also Linear Variable Costs. Variable costs graph shown as:

Linear Variable Cost

Non-Linear or Curvilinear Variable Costs graph:

Convex – linear Variable Cost

Concave – Linear Variable Cost

Semi-Fixed and Semi-Variable Costs

Semi-fixed Cost

Semi-variable Costs

Now, in the end of the chapter we can say all the things are clear which are in the chapter of costs. Most things are clear with the graph of costs. With the help of above mentioned graph we can conclude some decision in an organization. Cost is a part of CFS also in the financial chapter.