We’re going to follow the “little ushanka that could. You know ushankas...those super-warm Russian hats with the ear flaps? Yeah. The journey of this little ushanka will show us all the ways demand curves and supply curves can shift, and how those shifts can affect the market.
So there’s this little ushanka that was made in a factory in Siberia, waiting to find its forever-head to don. But the Russian currency, the ruble, took a tumble, and the economy with it. When the ruble and the economy took a tumble, so did people’s incomes.
Because so many Russians had a change in income, they were buying fewer hats. This change in income made the demand for ushankas go down, which shifted the demand curve for ushankas inward. What happened when the demand curve for ushankas shifted inward? Well, ushankas are produced (the supply) and sold (the demand) at the price and quantity where the two lines cross.
When the demand curve gets shifted inward, it decreases both the price and the quantity for ushanka-market-equilibrium, which is bad for ushankas trying to find their forever-heads.
If you think that’s bad...things would get even more hopeless for the little ushanka. These other hats...foreign hats called “beanies...” dropped in price in the Russian market when the economy went down. Since the price of a substitute hat for ushankas went down, the demand curve for ushankas shifted even further inward. Eventually, the economy bounced back. And with it, Russia was so overjoyed that they had a baby boom. This change in number of buyers, thanks to an increase in population, shifted the demand curve for ushankas...up.
But not as much as our little ushanka would have expected. Why? Well, young Russians had gotten used to the beanies. Young Russians had a preference for beanies over ushankas. And then another unfortunate event occured: climate change. Climate change made the Russian winters less cold, which made ushankas less useful. This change in usefulness of ushankas made the demand curve for ushankas shift even further inward.
Down, down, down the demand for ushankas went. Our poor little ushanka...would it ever be sold? Our story wouldn’t be complete without looking at what happened to the supply curve. There used to be a tariff on ushankas sold outside of Siberia, on the ones sold to the non-Siberian parts of Russia. The Kremlin saw the demand curve for the iconic ushankas shift inward, and decided to remove the ushanka tariff. Thanks to this change in government policy, the supply curve for ushankas shifted outward.
Better yet, the ushanka factory started making ushankas with faux fur rather than real fur to appeal to the preferences of vegans, which reduced overall production costs. And fur was in shorter supply anyway, because of global warming, making fur more expensive. This change in production costs shifted the supply curve for ushankas even further upward.
While that was good for all of the little ushanka’s friends, it wasn’t necessarily good for it, personally, being a fur ushanka. Still, it gave the little ushanka hope...hope that was much needed after all of those drops in the demand curve. To try to compete with beanies, the ushanka factory invested in new technology, which further shifted the ushanka supply curve outward. Basically, more hat-making robots and fewer hat-making people, like what happened with car production.
One winter, there was a horrible winter storm in Russia. The storm tore off many roofs, including the ushanka factory roof. Our little ushanka almost blew away. This geographic influence caused the ushanka supply curve to shift inward. Once the storm passed, people who didn’t have ushankas regretted that they didn’t have one, resulting in an increase in demand for ushankas...a symbol of Russian solidarity against the bitter cold.
At last, our little ushanka was sold, and found its forever-head. The little ushanka’s forever-head belonged to a young, cheery Siberian boy. Even though the hat was too big, the boy’s father said that if he kept his ushanka in good condition, he could use it until his head was big enough, and for decades afterwards.
Too bad a Siberian monkey stole it off the boy’s head just a minute later.
Anyway...just to sum up, five things that can cause a shift in a demand curve are:
- Changes in income
- Price of substitutes
- Number of buyers (population)
- Tastes & preferences
- Usefulness
And four things that can shift the supply curve are:
- Changes in production costs
- New technology
- Geographic influences
- Changes in government policies
Remember: when the supply and demand curves shift, it changes the price and quantity where the two lines intersect, changing the equilibrium. And also remember to, uh...watch out for Siberian monkeys. And spies.
Related or Semi-related Video
Econ: What are Determinants of Supply an...17 Views
And finance Allah Shmoop what are determinants of supply and
demand All right people we're going to follow the little
shonka that could you know shonka is those super warm
Russian hats with the ear flaps You have those things
Well the journey of this little yushenko will show us
all the ways demand curves and supply curve can shift
and how those shifts can affect the market So there's
this little Jew shonka that was made in a factory
in Siberia waiting to find it's forever head to Don
there that thing But the Russian currency the ruble took
a tumble and the economy took a tumble with it
When the ruble any economy took a tumble together Well
so did people's incomes Because so many Russians had a
change in income they were buying fewer hats Well this
change in income made the demand for Yushchenko's go down
which shifted the demand Kerr for Yushchenko's inward Well what
happened when the demand Kerr for you shank has shifted
inward Well you sh uncles are produced the supply Yeah
that thing and sold the demand at the price and
quantity where the two lines cross right there that little
dot thing well when the demand curve get shifted inward
it decreases both the price and the quantity for you
shank a market equilibrium which is bad for you Shonka
is trying Teo you know find there forever Heads if
you think that's bad While things would get even more
hopeless for the little you shonka Sorry we're just keeping
it real here These other hats foreign hats called Beanies
dropped in price in the Russian market when the economy
went down And since the price of a substitute half
rue Shankar's went down while the demand her for a
shank has shifted even further inward Eventually the economy bounced
back though And with it Russia was so overjoyed that
they had a baby boom Well this change in number
of buyers thanks to an increase in you know population
shifted the demand Kerr for you Shank is up that
way But not as much as our little lukashenka would
have expected Why Well young Russians had gotten used to
the Beanies Young Russians had a preference for Beanies over
Yushchenko's and then another unfortunate even occurred climate change Yes
Climate change made the Russian winters less miserably cold which
made Yushchenko's well less useful This change in usefulness of
Yushchenko's made the demand Kerr for Shankar's shift even further
Inwards down down down the demand for you Shankar's went
our poor little Lucia Anka Would it ever be sold
Our story wouldn't be complete without looking at what happened
to the supply curve Well guess what There used to
be a tariff on Yushchenko's sold outside of Siberia on
the one sold to the non Siberian parts of Russia
The Kremlin saw the demand curve for the iconic wish
Anca shift inward and decided to remove the shank A
tear of right dead weight loss gone Thanks to this
change in government policy the supply curve foryou Shankar's shifted
outward again that way Better yet you shank a factory
started making you Shankar Bo for rather than real fur
to appeal to the preferences of vegetarians and vegans and
Socialist which reduced overall production costs and for was in
short supply anyway all because of that whole global warming
thing and making it a whole lot more expensive and
hard to find Well this change in production costs shifted
this placard for Yushchenko's even further upward While that was
good for all the little of Shankar's friends it wasn't
necessarily good for it You know personally being a for
you Shonka we'll still It gave the little lukashenka hope
hope that was much needed after all those drops in
the demand curve To try to compete with the Beanies
you shank a factory invested in new technology which further
shifted you shank a supply curve outward basically more hat
making robots and fewer hat making people you know like
what happened with car production in soon McDonald's one winter
there was ah horrible winter storm in Russia Yes the
most horrible of all The storm tore off many roofs
including the shank a factory roof Our little Lou Shaka
almost blew away But well this geographic influence caused you
shonka supply curve to shift inward that way once the
storm passed people who didn't have Yushchenko's while they regretted
it you know regretted that they didn't have one resulting
in an increase in demand for you shank as a
symbol of Russian solidarity against the bitter cold At last
our little lukashenka the last reel for Yushchenko was sold
and found It's forever head The little Lou Shankar's forever
had belonged to a young cheery Siberian boy even though
that hat was too big a time The boy's father
said that if he kept his ooh shonka in good
condition he could use it until his head was big
enough And for decades afterwards well too bad A Siberian
monkey stole it off the boy's head just a minute
later Yeah well happens anyway just to some five things
that can cause a shift in demand Curves are changes
in income price substitutes number of buyers like population growing
or shrinking tastes and preferences for not for and usefulness
like a zit cold out or not And for things
that can shift the supply curve are changes in production
costs New technology Yes Hello Robot geographic influences in taxes
Stuff like that Like changes in government policy So remember
when the supply and demand curves shift It changes the
price and quantity where the two lines intersect changing the
equilibrium and also remember Teo you know watch out for
those Siberian monkeys Yeah they're part alien We think right