A manager hires labor and rents capital equipment in a very competitive market. Currently the wage rate is $6 per hour and capital is rented at $12 per hour. If the marginal product of labor is 50 units of output per hour and the marginal product of capital is 75 units of output per hour, is the firm using the cost-minimizing combination of labor and capital? If not, should the firm increase or decrease the amount of capital used in its production process?

You were recently hired to replace the manager of the Roller Division at a major conveyor-manufacturing firm, despite the manager's strong external sales record. Roller manufacturing is relatively simple, requiring only labor and a machine that cuts and crimps rollers. As you begin reviewing the company's production information, you learn that labor is paid $8 per hour and the last worker hired produced 100 rollers per hour. The company rents roller cutters and crimping machines for $16 per hour, and the marginal product of capital is 100 rollers per hour. What do you think the previous manager could have done to keep his job?

 Recently, the Boeing Commercial Airline Group (BCAG) recorded orders for more than 15,000 jetliners and delivered more than 13,000 airplanes. To maintain its output volume, this Boeing division combines efforts of capital and more than 90,000 workers. Suppose the European company, Airbus, enjoys a similar production technology and produces a similar number of aircraft, but that labor costs (including fringe benefits) are higher in Europe than in the United States. Would you expect Airbus to have the same marginal product as workers at Boeing? Explain carefully.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Mitsubishi Motors recently announced a major restructuring plan in an attempt to reverse declining global sales. Suppose that as part of the restructuring plan Mitsubishi conducts and analysis of how labor and capital are used in its production process. Prior to restructuring Mitsubishi's marginal rate of technical substitution is 0.15 (in absolute value). To hire workers, suppose that Mitsubishi must pay the competitive hourly wage of ¥ 1,330. In the study of its production process and markets where capital is procured, suppose that Mitsubishi determines that its marginal productivity of capital is 0.5 small cars per hour at its new targeted level of output and the capital is procured in a highly competitive market. The same study indicated that the average selling price of Mitsubishi's smallest car is ¥950,000. Determine the rate at which Mitsubishi can rent capital and the marginal productivity of labor at its new targeted level of output. To minimize costs Mitsubishi should hire capital and labor until the marginal rate of technical substitution reaches what proportion?