Fiveable
Fiveable

Shortage of Labor

Definition

A shortage of labor occurs when the demand for workers exceeds the available supply in a particular market or industry.

Analogy

Imagine you're hosting a party and you need 10 people to help set up, but only 5 people show up. You have a shortage of labor because there aren't enough people to meet the demand for help.

Related terms

Labor Market: The labor market refers to the interaction between employers and employees, where workers provide their skills and services in exchange for wages.

Demand for Labor: The demand for labor represents the number of workers that employers are willing and able to hire at different wage rates.

Equilibrium Wage: The equilibrium wage is the wage rate at which the quantity of labor demanded by employers equals the quantity supplied by workers, resulting in no shortage or surplus.

"Shortage of Labor" appears in:

collegeable - rocket pep

Are you a college student?

  • Study guides for the entire semester

  • 200k practice questions

  • Glossary of 50k key terms - memorize important vocab



© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.

AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.


© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.

AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.