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Outline:
Topic 5
5.1 Characteristics of Perfect Competition
5.2 Short-run Decision: Profit Maximization
MARKET 5.3 Short-run Decision: Minimizing Loss
STRUCTURE:
5.4 Long-run Adjustment
PERFECT
COMPETITION 5.5 External Changes: Consumer Preference &
Technology
5.6 Efficiency of Perfect Competition
1 2
Characteristics of Perfect Competition:
Perfect Competition:
a) L ar ge n u m b e r o f b u ye rs an d s e l l e rs w i t h p e r fe c t
information:
• Definition:
- Many buyers and sellers with perfect knowledge of the
– A market structure with many fully informed market.
buyers and sellers of standardized product - Sellers cannot influence buyers and buyers similarly cannot
influence sellers.
and no barriers to entry or exit of firms in
- All the sellers and buyers will have perfect knowledge of
the long run. the market.
- Sellers must know the prices charged by other sellers in the
market and the buyers must know the price being charged
by other sellers.
- If the seller charges a higher price, the buyer will buy from
different sellers because the product are homogenous.
b) Homogenous Product: d) Free Entry / Exit:
•No legal, technology, capital, incumbent advantage or
• Product/service has no unique characteristic, so others constraint to entry/exit.
•New firms enter (existing firms exit) if industry earning
consumers don’t care which firm they buy from. above (less) normal profit.
• Example: Agricultural products such as oil, iron and
others e) Price and Non-Price Competition:
•Price competition involves competing firms trying to
c) Price Taker: beat each other in terms of the prices to sell their
product. As the firm is a price taker, “price-competition”
does not exist.
• Each seller/buyer produces/buys small market
share from total output, thus they cannot influence •Non-price competition is a marketing strategy in which
one firm tries to distinguish its product or service from
market price. competing products on the basis of attributes like design
• Each firm takes market price as given→ price taker and workmanship. As the firm produces homogenous
product, “non-price competition does not exist.
5
1
Market Equilibrium and Firm’s Demand Curve: Example:
Price
$ per Firm Price Industry
- The market price of corn is $4 per bushel,
bushel $ per
bushel determined by the market intersection of the
S market demand and supply curve.
- Each firm is so small relative to the market
that each has no impact on the market price;
$4 d $4 firms will set the price at $4 as the market
Price price.
taker
D - Anyone who charges more than the market
price sell no corn because find no buyers.
Output Output
(bushels) 100 (millions
of bushels)
7 8
• The goal of a competitive firm is to maximize profit. Profit-Maximizing Level of Output:
• How the firm maximize profit? • If (Q) is output of the firm, then total revenue
(i) Total Approach:
is price (P) of the good times quantity (Q)
Maximizing the (positive) difference
between TR – TC. – Total Revenue (TR) = P x Q
(ii) Marginal Approach:
MR = MC (profit maximizing condition) • Costs of production depends on output
– Total Cost (TC) = ATC x Q
– Marginal revenue (MR) -----the change in total
revenue associated with a change in quantity.
– Marginal cost (MC) ----- the change in total cost • Profit ( ) = Total Revenue - Total Cost
associated with a change in quantity.
9 10
Total Revenue, Average Revenue and Marginal
Revenue for a competitive firm:
5.2 Short-run Decision: Profit Maximization
Quantity Price TR AR MR
• Profit: sold (RM) (RM) (RM) (RM)
TR TC Firm will produce up to 0 20 0 20 20
TR TC the point where the price 1 20 20 20 20
of its output is just equal
Q Q Q 2 20 40 20 20
to short-run MC (P=MC)
3 20 60 20 20
MR MC 4 20 80 20 20
Q
5 20 100 20 20
Π maximize when 0
Q 6 20 120 20 20
MR MC 0 7 20 140 20 20
MR MC » Profit maximization condition 8 20 160 20 20
MR = MC = P (one price for every level of output & the whole market/industry )
11
12
2
Graphical Illustration of TR, AR and MR for a
Competitive Firm: Profit Maximization – Numerical example:
Quantity TR TC PROFIT MR MC
TR (RM) (RM) (RM) (RM) (RM)
160
0 0 10 -10 - -
Price and revenue
140 1 20 14 6 20 4
120 2 40 22 18 20 8
100 3 60 34 26 20 12
80 4 80 50 30 20 16
60 5 100 70 30 20 20
40 6 120 94 26 20 24
20 AR = MR = D 7 140 122 18 20 28
8 160 154 6 20 32
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Quantity 13 What is the profit maximizing level of output?? 14
1. TOTAL REVENUE-TOTAL COST APPROACH
2. MARGINAL REVENUE - MARGINAL COST APPROACH:
Break-Even Point
(Normal Profit)
160
Price MC
Lost Profit Lost Profit
140
Total revenue and total cost
Choosing Output: Short Run Short Run Equilibrium:
• T h e p o i n t w h e r e M R = M C , t h e p r o f i t 1. Economic Profit / Supernormal Profits:
maximizing output is chosen; MR=MC at • (TR > TC)
quantity of 8 • (P > ATC)
2. Breakeven / Zero Economic Profits / Normal Profits:
• At a quantity less than 8 (MR>MC), so more • (TR = TC)
profit can be gained by increasing output. • (P = ATC)
3. Economic Loss / Subnormal Profits:
• At a quantity greater than 8 (MR<MC), • (TR < TC)
increasing output will decrease profits. Firm • (P < ATC)
should decrease the level of output.
17 18
3
Economic Profit / Supernormal Profits: Economic Profit / Supernormal Profits:
• Definition
– Profit earned by a competitive firm when its total Economic Profit MC
TR = (5 x 9) = 45
Minimum point of
TC = (3 x 9) = 27 ATC
= (TR – TC) = (45 – 27) = 18
19 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 20
Breakeven / Zero Economic Profits / Breakeven / Zero Economic Profits /
Normal Profits: Normal Profits:
• Definition Minimum point of
ATC MC
– When total revenue is equal to total cost (TR=TC) or ATC
Cost and Revenue
price equal to ATC (P=ATC), there are no profit or no
losses. RM5 MR=AR
– Firm has only able to cover its costs.
• Calculation:
TR = (5 x 9) = 45
TC = (5 x 9) = 45
= (TR – TC) = (45 – 45) = 0
21 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 22
Economic Loss / Subnormal Profits: Economic Loss / Subnormal Profits:
• Definition
– Losses incurred by a competitive firm when total
revenue is less than total cost (TR < TC) or when the
Economic Loss MC
Cost and Revenue
4
Subnormal Profit (ATC>P>AVC):
5.3 Short Run Decision-Minimizing Loss: (i) Keep Operating
Ø Losses occur if (TR<TC) or (P<ATC).
Economic Loss MC
25 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 26
• In the short run, even a firm that shuts down
when demand increases enough, the firm will
ATC
ATC resume operation.
AVC
AVC
MR=AR • If market conditions are not expected to
P
increase, the firm may decide to leave the
market a long run decision
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 27 28
Short Run Supply Curve:
Short-Run Supply Curve:
• Competitive firms determine the quantity to
produce where P = MR = MC
• At P1 (MR1) = (ATC > P < AVC) ; Loss and shut down
• Competitive firms supply curve is portion of the
marginal cost curve above the AVC curve • At P2 (MR2) = (ATC > P = AVC) ;Loss and continue
• As long as the price covers average variable cost, • At P3 (MR3) = (ATC > P > AVC) ; Loss and continue
the firm will supply the quantity resulting from
the intersection of its upward-sloping marginal • At P4 (MR1) = (P = ATC) ; Normal Profit
cost curve and its marginal revenue, or demand • At P5 (MR5) = (P > ATC) ; Supernormal Profit
curve.
• Thus, that portion of the firm’s marginal cost
curve that rises above the lowest point on its
average variable cost curve becomes the short-
run firm supply curve.
29 30
5
Marginal Cost & Short-Run Supply: Marginal Cost & Short-Run Supply:
Supernormal Profit
Short-Run Supply
Cost and Revenue, (dollars)
5.4 Long Run Adjustment: Profit Maximization in the LR:
• In the long run, there is an adequate time for • Free entry:
the firm to make changes and adjustment to – When firm earn economic profit in the SR (P1 > ATC):
the production process. • Encourage new firms to enter the market.
• All inputs are variable in the long run. • Market supply increase (SS curve shift rightward).
• Perfect competitive firm only earn zero • Equilibrium price drop (P1 to P2) individual firm
economic profit (normal profit). will also lower their price (price taker) until profit
is eliminated.
• Its mean that TR is just enough to cover TC
• At P2 = ATC, firm earn zero economic profit, no
• ( = TR – TC = 0) incentive for firm to come in.
• This is due to the effect of free entry and exit.
34
Profit Maximization in the Long Run: Profit Maximization in the LR:
(Free Entry) • Free exit:
Price
Price – When firm generating economic loss in the SR
S1 (P1 < ATC):
S2 MC • Incentive for existing (losing) firms to exit the
ATC
market.
P1 P1 MR1 = AR1
• Market supply drop (SS curve shift leftward).
P2 P2 MR2 = AR2
• Equilibrium price rise (P1 to P2) individual
D1 Normal Profit firm will also increase their price (price taker)
Q1 Q2 Quantity Q* Quantity until economic loss is eliminated.
Industry Individual Firm • At P2 = ATC, firm earn zero economic profit,
no incentive for firm to leave the market.
35 36
6
Profit Maximization in the Long Run:
(Free Exit) 5.5 External Changes:
Changes in Consumer Preference &
Technology
37 38
Before Increase in Demand:
When Preference Increase (DD ↑):
S1
P P
– DD curve shift rightward, quantity & price increase. MC
– Existing firm gain positive economic profit. ATC
– Incentive for expansion or new firms entry.
– Market SS increase: SS curve shift rightward, P1 P1
quantity increase but price drop until each firm earn MR
zero economic profit.
D1
q1 Q Q1 Q
Firm Industry
39
(price taker) 40
DD increases – DD curve shi� right – P↑ - Q↑ - New entry – SS ↑ - Q↑ - P↓ - (P = ATC) Normal profit
supernormal profit – new firms enter
Economic S1 S1
P Profits P P Zero Economic P S2
Profits
MC MC
ATC ATC
P2
MR1 P2 P2 P2
P1 P1 P1 P1
MR MR
D2 D2
D1 D1
q1 q2 Q Q1 Q2 Q q1q2 Q Q1Q2Q3 Q
Firm Firm
Industry Industry
(price taker) 41
(price taker)
42
7
When Preference Decrease (DD ↓): Before Decrease in Demand:
S1
P P
– DD curve shift leftward, quantity & price
MC
decrease. ATC
– Existing firm suffer economic losses.
– Incentive for contraction or exit. P1
MR P1
– Market SS decrease: SS curve shift leftward,
quantity drop but price increase until each
D1
firm earn zero economic profit.
q1 Q Q1 Q
Firm Industry
43
(price taker) 44
DD decreases – DD curve shi� le� – P↓ - Q↓ - Firm exit– SS ↓ - Q↓ - P↑ - (P = ATC) Normal profit
subnormal profit – existing firms exit
Economic S1 S2
P Loss P P Zero Economic P S1
Profits
MC MC
ATC ATC
P1
MR1 P1
MR1 P1
P2 P2 P1
MR P2 MR2 P2
D1 D1
D2 D2
q2 q1 Q Q2 Q1 Q q2 q1 Q Q3 Q2 Q1 Q
Firm
Industry
(price taker) 45
46
8
Allocative Efficiency & Productive Efficiency:
Cost and Revenue
Minimum point of
ATC MC
ATC
(P = MC)RM5 MR=AR
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 49 50