For example, Marcia is a computer programmer earning $70,000 per year.
She has always
wanted to run her own business and is considering opening an ice cream parlor. Marcia expects sales of $250,000 a year, and projects explicit costs of $197,000. Her explicit expenses include rent, labor, raw materials, insurance and utilities, so Marcia's accounting profit would be $53,000. Should Marcia start her business? Her business would be profitable. Economists would say, "No" because Marcia should consider what she would give up. These are her implicit or opportunity costs. One cost is her $70,000 salary. (Marcia would work full time and need to quit her current job.) Assume that Marcia must invest $100,000 to start her business. She would give up the opportunity to invest $100,000 in another investment such as a CD (Certificate of Deposit). Assume the CD earns $2,000 in interest annually. Another implicit cost is $2,000, the interest income she would give up if she opens her ice cream parlor. Marcia's economic profit is projected to equal a loss of $19,000, which is her accounting profit less the implicit expenses of $72,000. Clearly Marcia would be better off financially if she did not open Marcia's Ice Cream Parlor.
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