Final answer:
The main goal of a firm, according to most economists, is to maximize profits, not to maximize sales, employment, or worker satisfaction. A firm will hire up to the point where the cost of employing one more worker equals the additional revenue generated by that worker.
Step-by-step explanation:
Most economists agree that the main goal or objective of a firm is to maximize profits. This involves ensuring that the difference between total revenue and total costs is as large as possible. A profit-maximizing firm considers various factors such as market wage and marginal revenue product (MRP). For example, a firm will hire workers up to the point where the market wage equals the MRP. If the market wage is $20, and at four workers the MRP is also $20, then the profit-maximizing level of employment for the firm would be four workers. It's important to note that while firms also consider sales, employment levels, and worker satisfaction, these are typically means to the end of profit maximization rather than ends in themselves.