Utility maximization problem: Difference between revisions

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Utility maximization was first developed by utilitarian philosophers [[Jeremy Bentham]] and [[John Stuart Mill]]. In [[microeconomics]], the '''utility maximization problem''' is the problem [[consumer]]s face: "How should I spend my [[money]] in order to maximize my [[utility]]?" It is a type of [[Optimal decision|optimal decision problem]]. It consists of choosing how much of each available good or service to consume, taking into account a [[Natural borrowing limit|constraint on total spending]] (income), the prices of the goods and their [[Preference (economics)|preferences]].

Utility maximization is an important concept in consumer theory as it shows how consumers decide to allocate their income. Because consumers are modelled as being [[Rational choice theory|rational]], they seek to extract the most benefit for themselves. However, due to [[bounded rationality]] and other biases, consumers sometimes pick bundles that do not necessarily maximize their utility. The utility maximization bundle of the consumer is also not set and can change over time depending on their individual preferences of goods, price changes and increases or decreases in income.

==Basic setup==

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=== 2) 'Bang for buck' ===

[[Bang for the buck|Bang for buck]] is a main concept in utility maximization andwhich consistsrefers ofto the consumer's wantingdesire to get the best value for their money. If Walras's law has been satisfied, the optimal solution of the consumer lies at the point where the budget line and optimal indifference curve intersect, this is called the tangency condition.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Board|first=Simon|title=Utility maximization problem|publisher=Department of economics, UCLA|year=2009|pages=10–17}}</ref> To find this point, differentiate the utility function with respect to x and y to find the marginal utilities, then divide by the respective prices of the goods.

<math> MU_x/p_x = MU_y/p_y</math>

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<math>p \in \mathbb{R}^n_+ \ ,</math>

and that the consumer's income is <math>wI</math>; then the set of all affordable packages, the [[budget set]] is,

<math>B(p, I) = \{x \in \mathbb{R}^n_+ | \mathbb{\Sigma}^n_{i=1} p_i x_i \leq I\} \ ,</math>

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:<math>u : \mathbb{R}^n_+ \rightarrow \mathbb{R}_+ \ .</math>

Then the consumer's optimal choice <math>x(p,wI)</math> is the utility maximizing bundle of all bundles in the budget set if <math>x\in B(p,wI)</math> then the consumers optimal demand function is:

<math>x(p, I) = \{x \in B(p,I)| U(x) \geq U(y) \forall y \in B(p,I)\}</math>

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* The [[satisficing]] heuristic is when a consumer defines an aspiration level and looks until they find an option that satisfies this, they will deem this option good enough and stop looking.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Wheeler|first=Gregory|title=bounded rationality|publisher=Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy|year=2018}}</ref>

* [[Heuristics in judgment and decision-making|Elimination by aspects]] is defining a level for each aspect of a product they want and eliminating all other options that don'tdo not meet this requirement e.g. price under $100, colour etc. until there is only one product left which is assumed to be the product the consumer will choose.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2018|title=Elimination-By-Aspects Model|url=https://www.monash.edu/business/marketing/marketing-dictionary/e/elimination-by-aspects-model|access-date=20 April 2021|website=Monash University}}</ref>

* The [[mental accounting]] heuristic: In this strategy it is seen that people often assign subjective values to their money depending on their preferences for different things. A person will develop mental accounts for different expenses, allocate their budget within these, then try to maximise their utility within each account.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021|title=Why do we think less about some purchases than others?|url=https://thedecisionlab.com/biases/mental-accounting/|access-date=20 April 2021|website=The decision lab}}</ref>

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==See also==

*[[Welfare maximization]]

*[[Profit maximization]]

*[[Choice modelling]]

*[[Expenditure minimization problem|Expenditure minimisation problem]]