Q.(OR) What do you understand by Demand? Describe the determinants of Demand.
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Start your 14-day free trial to unlock the full solution →Demand is the quantity a consumer is willing and able to buy at a given price in a given period; its determinants are the good's own price, income, prices of related goods, tastes, expectations and (for market demand) population and income distribution.
Meaning of Demand:
In economics, demand means the quantity of a commodity that a consumer is willing to buy and is able to buy (has the money for) at a particular price during a particular period of time. A mere desire is not demand; three conditions must be met — desire for the good, ability (purchasing power) to buy it, and willingness to spend the money. Demand is always stated with reference to a price and a time period, and it is a flow concept.
Determinants of Demand:
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Price of the commodity itself — This is the most important determinant. According to the law of demand, other things being equal, the lower the price the greater the quantity demanded, and vice versa (inverse relationship).
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Income of the consumer — For normal goods, demand increases as income rises; for inferior goods, demand falls as income rises.
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Prices of related goods —
- Substitute goods (e.g. tea and coffee): a rise in the price of one increases the demand for the other.
- Complementary goods (e.g. car and petrol): a rise in the price of one reduces the demand for the other.
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Tastes, preferences and fashion — Favourable changes in tastes, habits, fashion, climate or advertising increase demand; unfavourable changes reduce it.
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Expectations about the future — If consumers expect prices (or their incomes) to rise in future, present demand increases; expectations of a fall reduce present demand.
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