ECON2209 Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: Demand Curve, Fixed Cost, Natural Monopoly

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8 Jun 2018

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February 8th

(Still in 1. Perfect Competition)

● Scenario 3: P is between AVC and ATC

● Output and price determination in long run

○ Firms earn zero economic profit

● Conditions for long run competitive equilibrium

○ Firms break even P=LRAC

○ Firms maximize economies of scale

■ MES → Minimum LRAC = LRMC = P

■ MES = “Most efficient scale”

● Evaluation

○ Equity

○ Process equity → is process fair? Is there equal access to opportunities?

■ Test→ perfect and complete information?

■ No barriers?

○ End result equity → is the outcome fair?

○ Zero economic profit in the long run

○ No effective market power

● Efficiency

○ Allocated (economic) efficiency

■ Producing output most preferred, the one that maximizes Total Surplus

(the sum of consumer surplus and PS)

○ Test: Price = Marginal Cost in the short run which is DWL = 0

● Satisfy under perfect competition?

○ Productive (technical) efficiency

■ Producing output with the least amount of resources

■ Test: Minimum of the long run average cost curve LRAC or also known as

being at MES

● Public Policy

○ No public policy required

○ Unless market fails

● 2. Pure Monopoly

○ Definition:

■ One firm, produces the product for which there are no available/local

substitutes.

■ Perfect information

■ High barriers to entry

● Helps cause the effective market power

● 3 main types of barriers:

○ 1. Legal: ex: patents, copyrights

○ 2. Natural:

■ Sole owner of key factor of production

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Document Summary

Scenario 3: p is between avc and atc. Output and price determination in long run. Mes minimum lrac = lrmc = p. Zero economic profit in the long run. Producing output most preferred, the one that maximizes total surplus (the sum of consumer surplus and ps) Test: price = marginal cost in the short run which is dwl = 0. Producing output with the least amount of resources. Test: minimum of the long run average cost curve lrac or also known as. One firm, produces the product for which there are no available/local substitutes. Sole owner of key factor of production. Natural monopoly, a firm that can supply output to the entire market at lowest possible cost, enjoy economies of scale in production and usually have high fixed costs and low marginal cost. Behavioral: behaving in a way to prevent other firms from entry for example predatory pricing. Effective market power can earn positive profits in the long run.

Related Questions

Q8. To arrive at a logical determination of a firm's optimum output, economists assume that the firm seeks to
a. maximize output
b. minimize cost
c. maximize profit or minimize loss
d. maximize price

Q9. So long as marginal cost is rising, average variable cost must rise.
a. true
b. false

Q10. As output increases, marginal cost increases, reaches a maximum, and then falls.
a. true
b. false

Q11. Which of the following is the best example of variable cost?
a. depreciation on a building
b. property taxes
c. wages
d. rent paid for one's building

Q12. If the AVC is $12, the AFC is $4, the AR is $20, and output is 6,000 units, the total profit is
a. $72,000
b. $48,000
c. $24,000
d. negative $96,000

Q13. Under perfect competition, if a firm is suffering a loss,
a. MR exceeds ATC
b. AR equals AVC
c. AR equals ATC
d. AR is less than ATC

Q14. Elaine's firm is in a perfectly competitive industry. Why doesn't Elaine try to sell more of her product by lowering its price below the market price?
a. her demand curve is not elastic
b. doing so would be considered unethical price chiseling
c. her competitors would not allow it
d. she can sell all she wants at the market price

Q15. In the long run, perfect competition results in firms producing
a. at the minimum point of their long-run average cost curves, which indicates allocative efficiency
b. where price equals marginal cost, which indicates economic efficiency
c. where price equals marginal cost, which indicates the optimal scale of operation
d. at the minimum point of their long-run average cost curves, which indicates economic efficiency

Q16. On a graph of average cost curves, the space between ATC and AVC represents AFC.
a. true
b. false

Q18. If MC equals MR at a point greater than ATC, the perfectly competitive firm will
a. sustain a loss
b. shut down
c. make an economic profit
d. expand output

Q19. Since all producers have the same average revenue under conditions of perfect competition, they all have the same profits in the short run.
a. true
b. false

Q20. If the entry of new firms in a perfectly competitive industry substantially increases the market demand for resources,
a. this reduces the market price of resources
b. this raises the market price of resources
c. the market price of resources does not change
d. this lowers the ATC curves of individual firms

Q22. Under conditions of perfect competition, profits exist whenever AR is above AVC at equilibrium output.
a. true
b. false

Q23. Under perfect competition, market price is determined by market demand and supply.
a. true
b. false

Q24. If one firm in a perfectly competitive industry is somehow able to produce at a lower cost than competing firms in the short run,
a. the competing firms will adopt similar production techniques in the long run
b. the more efficient firm will earn higher profits than the competing firms in the long run
c. the competing firms will earn higher profits than the more efficient firm in the short run
d. the competing firms will go out of business in the long run

Q1. Average total cost is equal to
a. AFC + AVC
b. AFC/total output
c. AFC/AVC
d. AVC/AFC

Q2. As output increases, the ATC
a. increases
b. decreases
c. remains constant
d. falls and then rises

Q3. Total profit is equal to
a. total revenue minus total cost
b. total revenue minus explicit cost
c. total revenue minus variable cost
d. total revenue minus marginal cost

Q4. Marginal cost crosses the
a. AVC curve at the highest point of the AVC curve
b. ATC curve at the lowest point of the ATC curve
c. AFC curve at the lowest point of the AFC curve
d. ATC curve at the highest point of the ATC curve

Q5. Wages paid are an example of an explicit cost of doing business.
a. true
b. false

Q6. Any revenue over and above total cost is labeled economic profit.
a. true
b. false

Q7. If the selling price of a product is $10, the average total cost is $8, and total sales are 5,000 units, the total profit will be
a. $5,000
b. $8,000
c. $10,000
d. $20,000

Q8. Whenever marginal revenue exceeds marginal cost,
a. profit declines if output increases
b. profit increases if output increases
c. losses increase if output increases
d. marginal revenue must be rising

Q9. Under perfectly competitive conditions, marginal revenue is
a. greater than average revenue
b. equal to average revenue
c. less than average revenue
d. equal to the average variable

Q10. A firm's break-even point occurs where
a. marginal revenue equals marginal cost
b. marginal revenue equals average variable cost
c. total revenue equals total cost
d. total revenue equals total variable cost

Q11. The addition to total output resulting from using one more unit of a productive resource is the
a. average product
b. marginal input
c. total product
d. marginal product

Q12. Unlike a firm in pure competition, a monopolist may be able to
a. block the entry of new firms into the industry
b. continue to earn economic profits in the long run
c. earn economic profits in the short run
d. both (a) and (b)

Q13. Producer surplus is the difference between the price the firm is willing to sell its goods and the price it actually receives.
a. true
b. false

Q14. In the long run, under conditions of perfect competition, market forces come into play to
a. enhance profits
b. increase demand
c. eliminate profits
d. separate MR and AR

Q15. Consumer surplus is the area above the demand curve and below the equilibrium price.
a. true
b. false

Q16. Under perfect competition, market price is determined by market demand and supply.
a. true
b. false

Q17. The more that firms advertise, the closer they get to perfect competition.
a. true
b. false

Q18. Perfect competition assumes that a producer is interested in maximizing profit.
a. true
b. false

Q19. In the long run, under conditions of perfect competition, the buyer will eventually be able to buy the product at a
a. price equal to the lowest point on the ATC curve past the optimal scale of operation
b. price below cost
c. price equal to the lowest point on the ATC curve at the optimal scale of operation
d. discount

Q20. The lowest possible ATC curve is attained at the optimal scale of output.
a. true
b. false

Which of the following is not necessarily a characteristic of perfect competition? (Points: 1)

low prices
a large number of buyers and sellers
a homogeneous product
perfect information

2. In the short run, a perfectly competitive ball bearing manufacturer will continue to produce at a loss if (Points :1)
it is covering all of its variable cost plus part of its fixed cost

it is covering all of its fixed cost
variable cost is less than the fixed cost
fixed cost is zero

3. The golden rule of profit maximization states that any firm maximizes profit by producing where (Points :
marginal revenue equals marginal cost
demand is unit elastic, and total revenue is the greatest
price equals marginal revenue
price equals marginal cost

4. Which of the characteristics of perfect competition assures that economic profit will be zero in the long run? (Points: 1)
There are easy entry and exit in the market.
Each firm is a price taker.
Each firm has access to perfect information.
Each firm is small relative to the market.

5. A constant-cost industry is distinguished by the fact that(Points: 1)
firms' short-run average total costs are horizontal
firms' short-run marginal cost curves are horizontal
the long-run industry supply curve is perfectly elastic
the short-run industry supply curve is perfectly elastic

6. Commodity products are (Points: 1)
pasteurized
bland
perceived by consumers to be identical
made by one manufacturer

7. In a perfectly competitive industry we are likely to find(Points: 1)
firms producing a wide variety of products
barriers to entry
no profit possible in the short run
firms that do not advertise

8. Perfectly competitive firms are price takers because (Points :1)
all small firms must take the price set by the largest firm in the market
firms take the price that government determines is a "fair" price
each firm is small and goods are perfect substitutes for one another
free entry and exit in the short run creates a constant market price in the long run

9. In perfect competition, if one firm raises its price, (Points :1)
others will follow
that firm will increase its revenues
that firm will lose revenues because other firms will not follow
all consumers will be adversely affected

10. Suppose, at its present rate of output, a perfectly competitive firm's marginal revenue exceeds both its marginal cost and its average variable cost. To maximize profit, the firm should (Points: 1)
lower the price
raise the price
increase output
reduce output

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ECON2209 Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: Demand Curve, Fixed Cost, Natural Monopoly

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