Rational consumer social science. Rational consumer and producer behavior - description, features and typical features. Economics about people

Now almost no one doubts the special economic role consumer, which is one of the main actors of the market mechanism. "The basic idea of ​​economics, according to the American economist T. Skitowski, is that the consumer knows what he needs, and what economic system works best when it satisfies the desires of the consumer which are manifested in his behavior in the market". It is the decisions of individual consumers to purchase a particular product that ultimately form the market demand, predetermine, together with the market supply, the level equilibrium prices and volume real sales.

Entering the market, the consumer sets himself the goal maximum satisfaction of your needs, obtaining the highest level of utility from the consumption of a good. Just like the manufacturer, the consumer is not absolutely free in his choice. He is forced to take into account not only his personal preferences, but also the income at his disposal, market prices for goods and services of interest to him, and other factors of market conditions.

Principles of rational consumer behavior

In his analysis of the consumer proceeds from the assumption of rationality of his behavior. The rational behavior of an individual or a group of people is manifested in their desire to achieve the maximum utility from the consumption of a given product, taking into account budget constraints.

consumer behavior- is the process of forming consumer demand for a variety of products and taking into account their income and personal preferences.

Utility We will further define any good as its ability to satisfy any needs of a person or society.

For the first time the term "utility" was introduced into scientific circulation by I. Bentham (1748-1832), an English philosopher and sociologist, who believed that the principle of maximizing utility is the basic principle of human behavior. The rational consumer manages his spending on the purchase of goods and services in such a way as to obtain maximum "satisfaction", or maximum utility.

The utility contained in goods and services is associated with the qualities and characteristics that make it possible to satisfy certain desires of people. These qualities may include health, aesthetic beauty or design, ease of use, durability, luxury, comfort, etc. The presence of both objective and subjective qualities in utility makes it a relative concept, not an absolute one.

The usefulness of a product may vary depending on time and place. So the usefulness of soft drinks is different in summer and winter, in the north and in the south.

However, despite the relative nature of utility, economists around the world have sought to compare the utility of different goods and services, leading to two utility theories:

The quantitative approach and the so-called . Within the framework of this theory, a hypothesis is put forward about the possibility of quantitative comparison of the utility of various goods and the existence of a utility function.

The ordinal approach and the so-called . Within the framework of this theory, it is assumed that it is only possible to rank a person's utility - from the best to the worst, and the rejection of the quantitative comparison of the utility of goods. The analysis is based on a set of a certain number of initial hypotheses (axioms), on the basis of which indifference curves are built and the consumer's optimum is considered.

Section 2. Microeconomics

Topic 2. Theory of consumer behavior

2.2.1. Principles of rational behavior of consumers.

Market demand is formed on the basis of decision-making by many individual consumers, which is of great importance for the development of the production of goods.

Each consumer, relying on his income, seeks to acquire various goods in such quantities and proportions that would bring him maximum satisfaction from their use. This behavior of the consumer in the market is called rational.

consumer behavior- the process of forming consumer demand for goods and services, which determines the development of their production and supply on the market.

The theory of consumption proceeds from the fact that typical common features are noted in consumer behavior:

Consumer demand depends on the level of income;

Each consumer seeks to obtain maximum utility;

The average consumer has a preference system;

Consumer demand is affected by the presence or absence of "related" goods.

Therefore, it is possible to form the basic principles of rational behavior of consumers in the market:

1. Limited income.

2. Rationality.

3. Systematic preferences.

4. Sovereignty.

The preference of consumers of goods is very difficult to take into account for reasons of the so-called Consumer Interaction Effects. Consider its types:

"Snob Effect" - purchases are made to emphasize one's own social status.

"The Veblen Effect" - purchases are made underline and defiantly.

"Implied quality effect" - goods of the same quality are sold in different stores at different prices.

"Effect of joining the majority" - the desire to be "not worse than others."

"irrational demand" - purchases are made only because someone bought it.

"speculative demand" - arises in conditions of shortage of goods.

The success or failure of the producer depends on the total behavior per second of the consumers. Such a phenomenon is called sovereignty consumer. It consists in the ability of the consumer to influence the producer. Necessary condition consumer sovereignty is the freedom of consumer choice.

Obviously, the main limitation for any consumer is the size of his income. Since the needs are diverse and unlimited, and the income (i.e., the amount of money available to the consumer) is limited, the buyer is forced to constantly make a choice from huge amount goods offered to him in the market. It is natural to assume that, in making this choice, the consumer seeks to acquire the best set of goods available with a given limited income.

There is no objective criterion to determine which set of goods is best for a given consumer. And only because the consumer chooses the “best set” of goods from his individual (i.e., subjective) point of view (remember the surprisingly accurate aphorism of K. Prutkov: “everyone thinks the best is what he has a desire for”).

Of course, the subjective approach is not flawless: a person is a complex being and does not always behave rationally in this sense. Of course, the concept of consumer rationality simplifies the mechanism of his economic behavior, and yet most consumers do seek to get maximum satisfaction from their limited income.

It should be especially emphasized that behaving rationally in the market does not at all mean necessarily being tight-fisted and petty-prudent. One should not think that a person who has spent his fortune on “a million scarlet roses” for his beloved is an irrational consumer, and another who has put money into commercial Bank at high interest rates - on the contrary, a rational consumer. The theory of consumer behavior recognizes both as a rational consumer, if only they really chose the best (from their subjective point of view) variant of consumer behavior. This means that each consumer has a kind of individual scale of preferences and, realizing it with a limited income, seeks to achieve the highest possible degree of satisfaction.

Rational consumer behavior is to maximize utility with limited income.

Ticket

There are two main approaches to the definition of utility:

1) quantitative (cardinal). Here we are talking about the traditional version of consumer choice theory;

2) ordinal (ordinalist).

The utility a consumer derives from an additional unit of a good is called the marginal utility (MU). In turn, the sum of the utilities of the individual parts of the good gives the total utility (TU). Then marginal utility is the increase in total utility with an increase in the consumption of a good by one unit.

The overall utility of the good

The curve of general utility starts from the origin, since the need begins to be satisfied after a certain amount of consumption. This curve slopes positively, since as the amount of the good increases, total utility increases.

Using the cardinal (quantitative) theory of utility, one can characterize not only total utility, but also marginal utility, as an additional increase in a given level of well-being obtained by consuming an additional amount of a good of a given type and constant amounts of consumed goods of all other types.

marginal utility

Most goods have the property of diminishing marginal utility, according to which the greater the consumption of a certain good, the smaller the increment in utility received from a single increment in the consumption of this good. This explains why the demand curve for these goods has a negative slope. Figure 8 shows that for a hungry person, the utility of the first slice of bread he consumes is high (QA), but as his appetite is saturated, each subsequent slice of bread brings less and less satisfaction: the fifth slice of bread will provide only QB of utility.

Ticket

ORDINALIST (ORDINAL) UTILITY - subjective utility, or the satisfaction that the consumer receives from the good he consumes, measured on an ordinal scale.

The ordinal (ordinal) theory of utility is an alternative to the cardinal (quantitative) theory of utility.

Marginal utility cannot be measured; The consumer does not measure the utility of individual goods, but the utility of sets of goods. Only the order of preference for bundles of goods is measurable. The criterion of the ordinal (ordinal) theory of utility involves the ordering by the consumer of his preferences regarding goods. The consumer systematizes the choice of a set of goods according to the level of satisfaction. For example, the 1st set of goods gives him the greatest satisfaction, the 2nd set - less satisfaction, the 3rd set - even less satisfaction, etc. Therefore, such a systematization gives an idea of ​​the preferences of consumers in relation to a set of goods. However, it does not give an idea of ​​the differences in satisfaction with these sets of goods. In other words, with practical point From the perspective of the consumer, he can tell which set he prefers over another, but he cannot determine how much one set is better than another.

The ordinal (ordinal) theory of utility is based on several axioms. Note that among economists there is no unity regarding the number and name of axioms. Some authors name four axioms, others - three axioms. Here we highlight the following axioms.

1. Axiom of complete (perfect) ordering of consumer preferences. A consumer who makes a purchase can always either name which of the two sets of goods is better than the other, or recognize them as equivalent. So, for sets A and B, or A > - B, or B > - A, or A ~ B, where the sign "> -" expresses a preference relation, and the sign " ~ " - a relation of equivalence or indifference.

2. The axiom of transitivity of consumer preferences means that in order to make a certain decision and implement it, the consumer must consistently transfer preferences from some goods and their sets to others. So, if A > - B, and B > - C, then always A > - C, and if A ~ B and B ~ C, then always A ~ C. From the presented ranking it follows that A delivers more satisfaction than B , and B is greater than C. Therefore, A gives more satisfaction than C. Transitivity also implies that if the consumer does not distinguish between alternatives A and B and between B and C, then he should always not distinguish between A and AT.

3. The axiom of unsatisfactory needs states that consumers always prefer more of any good to less. This axiom does not fit anti-goods that have negative utility, since they lower the level of well-being of a given consumer. So, air pollution, noise reduce the level of utility of consumers.

36 ticket The indifference curve depicts alternative sets of goods that provide the same level of utility (Fig. 8.1)

Indifference curves have the following properties.1. An indifference curve located to the right and above the other curve is more preferable for the consumer.2. Indifference curves always have a negative slope, because rational consumers will prefer more of any bundle to less.3. Indifference curves are concave due to decreasing marginal rates of substitution.4. Indifference curves never intersect and usually show decreasing marginal rates of substitution of one good for another.5. Sets of benefits on curves more distant from the origin are preferable to sets of benefits located on curves less distant from the coordinates. To describe a person's preferences for all sets of food and clothing, one can draw a family of indifference curves, which is called an indifference curve map. An indifference curve map is a way to graphically represent a utility function for some particular consumer (Figure 8.2). On fig. 8.2 shows four indifference curves that form a family - a map of indifference curves. Sets on indifference curves more distant from the origin deliver greater utility to the consumer and are therefore preferable to sets on less distant curves. On fig. 8.2 U4>U3>U2>U1.

Rice. 8.2. Map of indifference curves

An indifference curve map gives an idea of ​​the tastes of a particular consumer, since it illustrates the rate of substitution for two goods at any level of consumption of these goods. When it comes to the fact that the tastes of consumers are known, then the whole map of indifference curves is meant, and not the current ratio of units of two goods. In the map of indifference curves, each curve joins points of equal utility.

The main working concept of the ordinal (ordinal) theory of utility is considered to be the marginal rate of substitution MRS.

The marginal rate of substitution (MRS) measures how many units of one good a consumer must give up in order to acquire an additional unit of another good. In other words, it is the ratio of the marginal utility of two goods.

Manufacturers- these are people, firms, enterprises, i.e. all those who manufacture and sell us goods and provide services. What the manufacturer receives by selling his product is called his revenue or gross income. What the producer spends on acquiring production resources forms his costs, or costs. The difference between income and costs is profit.

Purpose of the manufacturer in market economy- get it as soon as possible big profit. To do this, he seeks to reduce production costs, because the lower the costs, the higher the profit. Cost reduction is facilitated by a more economical combination of resources, implementation of new technology, saving raw materials and energy and much more. The problem of limited production resources forces an individual manufacturer, firm, society as a whole to solve problems of what, how and for whom to produce.

What to produce? Producers decide how to allocate resources between the production of different products; which of society needs and consumers at a given time to produce goods and in what quantity; whether to prioritize, for example, production military equipment or household.

How to produce? The production of the selected volume of products can be carried out in different ways. You can cultivate the land, harvest the crops manually, attracting a significant number of workers, or get by with a smaller number of them, using agricultural machinery. The use of new equipment and technology can provide a greater volume of products with the use of available resources. However, the manufacturer should remember that this is beneficial only if the income from the use of new equipment and technology exceeds the costs associated with their implementation.

For whom to produce? Since society brings people together with different incomes, with different purchasing power, manufacturers have to decide which segments of society to focus on in the production of goods and services, who will be their potential consumer.

Revealing ways effective use resources, economic science proceeds from the rational behavior of subjects economic activity, i.e., their desire to achieve a certain result at the lowest cost.

The rational organization of economic activity requires the manufacturer to address a number of issues: how, with limited resources, to achieve the goals of their production? How to combine production resources so that costs are minimal? How to increase the volume of output with available resources?

So, to solve the last problem, as we noted earlier, there are two ways: to expand the volume of production through a quantitative change in resources (increasing production capacity, the amount of natural resources used, the number of employed workers) and by improving the qualitative characteristics of resources, improving their productivity or performance.

Most countries today, faced with the problem of depletion of raw materials or their rise in price, focus on the second way to expand borders. production possibilities. This leads to an increase in labor productivity. Recall that this economic indicator of the efficiency of the use of production resources is characterized by the amount of products produced per unit of time by one worker.

Factors that determine the growth of labor productivity, at the same time, can be considered as factors for increasing the volume of output. What are these factors?

First of all, this is the division of labor, or the specialization of producers in any type of activity. In the execution of a single product or a small operation, a worker can become a virtuoso, and as a result his productivity increases.

Technological progress as a factor involves the use of new, more productive equipment or technology in production, which allows increasing the volume of production over the same period of time, as a rule, with a smaller number of employees.

And finally, the level of education and training of workers. Skilled labor is more productive not only because it contributes to the production of more products. The higher the level of professional skill of workers, the higher the quality of manufactured products, which means that it is stronger, more durable, which will save resources associated with its production and switch them to the production of other economic benefits.

The scientist of the Brooklyn Institute (USA) Edward Denison made an attempt to quantitatively correlate the impact of various factors of increasing labor productivity on the growth of production volumes. According to his estimates, 28% of the increase in real national income in the period from 1929 to 1982 in the United States came from technical progress, 19% - due to capital expenditures (use of material and Money for the organization of production), 14% - due to the growth of educational and professional training of workers.

The hypothesis of rational consumer behavior is very interesting and amusing. It can be useful for both an ordinary person and an entrepreneur.

general information

Now it is difficult to find a person who would not believe that everything in the economy revolves around the consumer. This is the norm for the development of the economic sector. It is believed that each individual person knows what he needs. When the economy satisfies his needs, then it works best. Ultimately, it is the decisions of individuals to purchase this or that product that form. Thus, we influence the volume of real sales and the level. In economics, such a phrase as the rational economic behavior of the consumer is used to refer to this process.

What is the point?

When a consumer enters the market, he tries to satisfy his needs as much as possible and get the highest level of utility when using a certain good. It should be noted here that both the individual and the manufacturer are not absolutely free in their choice. It is necessary to take into account not only the available but also the income that is available. Services, goods, and other competitive factors also have their influence. Therefore, the rational behavior of the consumer and the producer is aimed at obtaining the maximum possible utility under limited conditions.

Principles

The theory of rational consumer behavior is a component of microeconomics. The analysis assumes that the behavior of the individual is rational, that is, maximum satisfaction is achieved with a limited budget. Most important in this is the principle of maximizing utility. It is considered basic in human behavior and in determining his choice. A small terminological clarification: utility is the ability of a certain good to satisfy the specific needs of society or an individual. It is directly related to their characteristics, among which quality plays the most important role. In addition to it, durability, appearance, ease of use, comfort, luxury, and the like have a significant impact. Another important principle that influences rational consumer behavior is human sovereignty. That is, how unaffected external influence. So, every person should eat well to be healthy and active. Let's say that a touchscreen phone has appeared on the market, which many consider to be a status phone. And a person has a choice: to buy an expensive and not very necessary thing and then eat for six months anyway, or do without such a little thing and spend money on food and other useful things. If he chooses the first option, then there is no need to talk about the rational behavior of the consumer. Examples of such an attitude are very numerous, and these people are dealt with by advertising specialists.

Theoretical component

There are two main approaches:

1. Cardinal theory of utility. Also known as the quantitative approach. Puts forward a hypothesis about the possibility of measuring the utility of goods. The main bet is made on the quantity (in pieces, liters, kilograms, and so on).
2. Also known as the ordinal approach. Defends the point of view according to which it is possible to rank the usefulness of a person. Usually a system of reckoning from best to worst is used. At the same time, the quantitative comparison of the utility of goods is rejected. Such an analysis is based on a certain set of a small number of initial hypotheses, on the basis of which indifference curves are built and the consumer's optimum is calculated.

Common features

The hypothesis of rational behavior is possible due to the existence of a unifying framework for all people. For example:

1. The average consumer has a system of preferences.
2. Demand is significantly affected by the presence/absence of related products.
3. Everyone wants to maximize their utility.
4. The demand of a particular consumer depends on his level of income.

effects

We are interested in rational consumer behavior. The plan of action of each individual provides for activity within the framework of his system of preferences. But it is extremely difficult to take into account specific values ​​here due to consumer interaction effects. Let's look at what types of them exist:

1. In this case, it means creating a situation where the purchase is made solely to emphasize one's social position.
2. This refers to a situation where purchases are made defiantly and emphatically, which make it possible to highlight the position of a person. Typically, this refers to the purchase of goods that are extremely expensive and not available to most people.
3. The perceived quality effect. This is a situation where goods with the same characteristics are sold at different prices in different stores.
4. The effect of joining the majority. It is an expression of the desire not to yield to other people who are more "successful" in anything.
5. Irrational demand. The purchase is made only because it was made by some other person who has a significant influence on the buyer.
6. speculative demand. Occurs when there is a shortage of goods.

Let's say a word about manufacturers

Their success and failure depend entirely on the combined behavior of all consumers. Thus, we can influence even big enterprises. Let's consider such an example. There was a company that produces quality products. Over time, she literally “captures” the market, since her products have very high performance. When it has a literal monopoly, it decides to reduce the quality of its products while leaving the price unchanged. Over time, consumers will realize that something is wrong and will stop buying products of this brand. And they will start switching to products from other manufacturers that offer the best balance of price / quality. Each person in such a situation votes with his wallet. With mass such phenomena, a break occurs in the situation on the market, and new players rise on it.

Conclusion

One of the rather significant shortcomings of the considered hypothesis is that the assumption that a person will act rationally is put at the forefront. Alas, this is not always the case. Often we spend money on various trifles, postponing important events in our lives for the future. Of course, this is not good. To avoid this state of affairs, you should consider every important step.