Diminishing Marginal Returns - Earth Day: Charting the Next 25 Years

Read John Baden's article on "Earth Day: Charting the Next 25 Years".
Do you accept Baden's argument that expenditures on environmental quality will result in diminishing marginal returns? Why or why not? Explain.

Identifying Over-Priced Journals

Read Richard Meyer's article on "Identifying Over-Priced Journals" that appeared in the July 15, 1996 issue of the Newsletter on Serials Pricing Issues by going to BUBL Information Service, click on search and type in 'Identifying Over-Priced Journals'.
a. Is the author correct when he states that price will equal marginal cost in a perfectly competitive market?
b. How convincing is the author's case that the market for professional journals is "sufficiently competitive"? Is it likely that the journal supplier is a "price-taker"?

The Case for Concentration

Read Chilton Marketing Service's argument for concentrating advertising in a small number of periodicals.
a. Why do diminishing returns occur when advertisements are placed in additional periodicals?
b. Does this article also provide evidence of diminishing returns to additional pages of advertising in the same periodical? Explain.