A Rigorous Mathematical Approach to the Economic Rate of Return (ERR) and its Application to Economic Analysis

Fadi Asrawi

Abstract

The economic rate of return (ERR) is a measure of the profitability of a revenue generating investment based on a single external discount rate which is the hurdle rate or the minimum attractive rate of return (MARR). In this paper, we will highlight on the practical and reasonable interpretation of the (ERR) as a reinvestment rate of the present worth of costs. We shall give the usual mathematical definition of the (ERR) and derive an alternative, more useful, and applicable definition in terms of the benefit-cost ratio. We will also investigate the behavior of the (ERR) function in terms of the (MARR) as a variable. A relationship between the (ERR) and the internal rate of return (IRR) will be established. Finally, the applicability of the (ERR) method as an economic analysis method will be demonstrated.