Constrained Maximization in Managerial Economics

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Constrained Maximization in Managerial Economics

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Maximization is an economics theory, that refers to individuals or societies gaining the maximum amount out of the resources they have available to them.[KOTACK,2005]

Constrained Maximisation is a term in economics used to refer to and is concerned with the restrictions imposed on the availabilty of resources and other requirements.( ) it tries to explain using prescribed forumlae such as the langarian method how firms can solve issues to do with constrained maximisation. In this context however we are more interested in the maximisation of profits in firms, we are interested in the contraints imposed on managers that limit their options when making decisions.

For instance in profit making organnisations the primary objective is to make profits so it endeavours to explain what firms have to contend with in their objective. In this context profit maximization is the process by which a firm determines the price and output level that returns the greatest profit, and in doing so the company may have constraints on the bugdet, human resourse, inputs in terms of raw materials , capital expenditure etc.

Contrained Maximisation shows the relationship between inputs such as the ones mentioned and how they ultimatly affect the output. In solving any constrained maximisation problem the objective is to see how other variables can be manipulated to achieve the highest output, to do this Managerial economists use the constraint equation for one of the decision variables , then susbstitute for that variable in the objective function.

A typical example of constrained maximisation can be shown by examining a study done by M.T Maloney on a Bee Keeper Steve Cheung to analyse the problem of keeping bees as an integrated endeavour to explain contrained maximisation.

Be keepers sometimes paid and sometimes received pay depeneding on the marginal value of their pollination services relative to the value of honey they collected. For instance a farmer that uses bees to pollinate apple trees and to make honey from nector . the farmers outputs are apples and honey . Assuming there is a trade off between the two outputs i.e. the nector gathered from apple trees does not produce as much honey as that found elsewhere. When the farmer is interested in apple pollination he places the hives close to the apple trees.

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