How does economic profit differ from accounting profit?

Economic profit is defined as the difference between total revenue and total costs, which includes both explicit and implicit costs. Explicit costs are the direct, out-of-pocket expenses that a business incurs, such as wages, rent, and materials. Implicit costs, on the other hand, refer to the opportunity costs of utilizing resources in one way rather than another; these are not directly paid out but represent the foregone benefits of the next best alternative.

The correct answer points out that economic profit takes into account both these types of costs. This comprehensive view allows businesses to evaluate their true profitability by including all costs associated with opportunities lost, not just the tangible expenses. This is critical for understanding how well a business is performing relative to all its possible uses of resources.

In contrast, accounting profit typically only factors in explicit costs, creating a scenario where it can sometimes show a higher profit figure than the economic profit. Accounting profit does not capture the potential revenue that could have been generated from alternative uses of resources, hence missing the broader perspective of profitability that economic profit provides.