SLOPE, SHORT-RUN AGGREGATE SUPPLY CURVE: The short-run aggregate supply (SRAS) curve has a positive slope, reflecting the direct relation between the price level and aggregate real production. A higher price level is related to more real production and a lower price level is related to less real production. The general reason is similar to that of market supply curves--the opportunity cost of production--three specific reasons can be identified: (1) inflexible resource prices that often makes it easier to reduce aggregate real production and resource employment when the price level falls; (2) the pool of natural unemployment, consisting of frictional and structural unemployment, that can be used temporarily to increase aggregate real production when the price level rises; and (3) imbalances in the purchasing power of resource prices that can temporarily entice resource owners to produce more or less aggregate real production than the would at full employment. See also | short-run aggregate supply curve | slope | short-run aggregate supply | price level | real production | full-employment real production | product markets | financial markets | resource markets | change in real production | change in aggregate supply | aggregate supply determinants | slope, long-run aggregate supply curve | slope, aggregate demand curve |
