Which of the following changes would shift a firm's supply curve for a good (i.e., change supply rather than quantity supplied)?

• A. A decrease in the price of the good itself, holding production costs constant
• B. An increase in the price of an input used to produce the good
• C. An increase in the market price of the good itself
• D. A movement along the supply curve caused by a change in quantity supplied

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the difference between a change in supply and a change in quantity supplied. A change in quantity supplied is a movement along the supply curve caused by a change in the price of the good itself, while a change in supply means the entire supply curve shifts due to factors other than the good's own price.
2. Identify the factors that cause the supply curve to shift. These include changes in input prices, technology, number of sellers, expectations about future prices, and government policies such as taxes or subsidies.
3. Analyze each option: A decrease or increase in the price of the good itself causes movement along the supply curve (change in quantity supplied), not a shift in supply.
4. Recognize that an increase in the price of an input used to produce the good raises production costs, which affects the firm's willingness and ability to supply the good at every price, thus shifting the supply curve.
5. Conclude that only changes in factors other than the good's own price, such as input prices, cause the supply curve to shift, distinguishing them from movements along the curve.