Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Monopoly
Average
total
cost
0 Quantity of Output
Monopoly versus Competition
Monopoly
Is the sole producer
Has a downward-sloping demand curve
Is a price maker
Reduces price to increase sales
Competition versus Monopoly
Competitive Firm
Is one of many producers
Has a horizontal demand curve
Is a price taker
Sells as much or as little at same price
Demand Curves for Competitive and
Monopoly Firms...
Demand
Demand
0 Quantity of 0 Quantity of
Output Output
A Monopoly’s Revenue
Total Revenue
P x Q = TR
Average Revenue
TR/Q = AR = P
Marginal Revenue
TR/Q = MR
A Monopoly’s Marginal Revenue
Average
Quantity Price Total Revenue Revenue Marginal Revenue
(Q) (P) (TR=PxQ) (AR=TR/Q) (MR=TR / Q )
0 $11.00 $0.00
1 $10.00 $10.00 $10.00 $10.00
2 $9.00 $18.00 $9.00 $8.00
3 $8.00 $24.00 $8.00 $6.00
4 $7.00 $28.00 $7.00 $4.00
5 $6.00 $30.00 $6.00 $2.00
6 $5.00 $30.00 $5.00 $0.00
7 $4.00 $28.00 $4.00 -$2.00
8 $3.00 $24.00 $3.00 -$4.00
Demand and Marginal Revenue Curves
for a Monopoly...
Price
$11
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3 Demand
2 Marginal (average revenue)
1 revenue
0
-1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Quantity of Water
-2
-3
-4
Profit Maximization of a Monopoly
Demand
Marginal
cost
Marginal revenue
0 QMAX Quantity
John D. Rockefeller
The story of D. Rockefeller epitomizes the 19th
century monopolist. He saw visions of riches in
the fledging oil industry and began to organise oil
refineries.
Monopoly E B
price
M pro
Average
total cost D C
Demand
Marginal revenue
0 QMAX Quantity
The Monopolist’s Profit
Price
during
patent life
In
contrast to a competitive firm, the
monopoly charges a price above the
marginal cost.
From the standpoint of consumers, this high
price makes monopoly undesirable.
However, from the standpoint of the owners
Value Cost to
to monopolist
buyers
Value
Cost to to Demand
monopolist buyers (value to buyers)
0 Efficient Quantity
quantity
Monopoly
price
Marginal
revenue Demand
Average
total cost Average total cost
Loss
Regulated
price Marginal cost
Demand
0 Quantity
Regulation
No one doubts that De Beers controls the price of diamonds. Buyers are offered small
boxes of assorted diamonds at a price set by De Beers on ‘Take it all or leave it’
basis. If the demand for diamond falls, as it did in early 1980’s, De Beers stands
ready to buy diamonds to support the price. Between 1979 to 1984, its stock of
diamonds increased about $360 million to about $2billion. In the first half of 1992,
its earnings fell by about 25% because global recession had reduced the demand for
diamonds.
Besides limiting the quantity supplied, De Beers also works hard and cleverly to push
the demand curve for diamonds to the right. An important part of its sales campaign
has been to link diamonds and romance (according to its 50 year old slogan ‘A
diamond is forever’), of course, this has also been helpful in keeping diamonds once
sold, off the market. De Beers policies have been paid off very substantial profits,
but the consumer has paid higher prices than if the diamond market were
competitive.
Price Discrimination
On studying demand pattern, the management found that most movie lovers come to the
theatre on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. On further analysis it was found that the
late evening show on Fridays and morning, noon and evening shows on Sundays drew
the largest number of people. The following rates for tickets were fixed (for all the
movie halls) based on the following data.
Questions:
1. Do you think the management has been rational by deciding to charge different
prices on different days?
2. What other steps can the management take in the given situation, to further
improve its profit figures?
The Prevalence of Monopoly
Average
total
cost
0 Quantity of Output
Demand Curves for Competitive and
Monopoly Firms...
(a) A Competitive Firm’s (b) A Monopolist’s
Demand Curve Demand Curve
Price Price
Demand
Demand
0 Quantity of 0 Quantity of
Output Output
Demand and Marginal Revenue Curves
for a Monopoly...
Price
$11
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3 Demand
2 Marginal (average revenue)
1 revenue
0
-1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Quantity of Water
-2
-3
-4
Profit-Maximization for a Monopoly...
2. ...and then the demand
Costs and curve shows the price 1. The intersection of
Revenue consistent with this the marginal-revenue
quantity. curve and the marginal-
cost curve determines
B the profit-maximizing
Monopoly quantity...
price
Demand
Marginal
cost
Marginal revenue
0 QMAX Quantity
The Monopolist’s Profit...
Costs and
Revenue
Marginal cost
Monopoly E B
price
M pro
Average
total cost D C
Demand
Marginal revenue
0 QMAX Quantity
The Market for Drugs...
Costs and
Revenue
Price
during
patent life
Value Cost to
to monopolist
buyers
Value
Cost to to Demand
monopolist buyers (value to buyers)
0 Efficient Quantity
quantity
Monopoly
price
Marginal
revenue Demand
Average
total cost Average total cost
Loss
Regulated
price Marginal cost
Demand
0 Quantity