The economic definition of profit differs from accounting profit because it includes what?

The economic definition of profit indeed includes opportunity costs, which distinguishes it from accounting profit. While accounting profit is calculated by subtracting total explicit costs (like fixed and variable costs) from total revenue, economic profit takes a broader view. It incorporates not only explicit costs but also implicit costs, which are best captured by opportunity costs.

Opportunity costs represent the benefits that are foregone from the next best alternative when making a choice. For instance, if a business owner decides to invest in their own business rather than putting that money into a different venture, the potential earnings from the alternative investment are considered an opportunity cost. Thus, economic profit is determined by subtracting both explicit and implicit costs (including opportunity costs) from total revenue. This means that economic profit provides a more comprehensive view of profitability by considering what is sacrificed, not just what is spent.