What Types of Problems May Arise When Measuring Cost for Short-Run Cost Estimation? Why Are They Considered Problems and What Are Possible Resolutions?

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Short-run cost functions should be estimated using data for which the level of usage of one or more of the inputs is fixed. Usually time-series data for a specific firm are used to estimate short-run cost functions. Analysts should be careful to adjust the cost and input price data (which are measured in dollars) for inflation and to make sure the cost data measure economic cost. The following are the two possible problems that may arise when measuring cost for short-run cost estimation: Correcting data for the effects of inflation Economic analyses often use data from two or more calendar years. Price inflation causes the value of a dollar to fall over time, and so the same dollar amount in two different years will usually represent different amounts of purchasing power. To counteract this problem, analysts typically adjust dollar figures to account for inflation. Figures that have not been adjusted for inflation are said to be in 'nominal dollars,' while those that have been adjusted are in 'real dollars.' This FAQ response describes how to adjust for inflation so that dollar values are expressed in terms of a single year's currency. Inflation adjustments are made using price indices. Each index consists of numbers representing the price level in each year relative to a base year. Some indices have values that correspond to shorter periods as well, such as months or quarters. What distinguishes the indices is how the price levels are established. Problems Measuring Economic Cost The cost of using resources in production is the opportunity cost of using the resources. Since accounting data are of necessity based on expenditures, opportunity cost may not be reflected in the firm’s accounting records. Collecting data may be complicated by the fact that accounting data are based on expenditures and may not include the firm’s opportunity cost of using

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