Monopolistic Competition Microeconomics. TPS Write down a list of restaurants which serve basically...

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Monopolistic CompetitionMicroeconomics

TPS

Write down a list of restaurants which serve basically the same food.

Monopolistic Competition

Defining Monopolistic Competition

Somewhere between Perfect competition and an Oligopoly

Many firms but NOT as many as PC

Differentiated product

Each firm has some ability to set the price of their product.

No barriers to entry and exit.

Inefficient market

Monopolistic Competitionin the Short Run

Short-run economic profit encourages firms to enter the market TT = MR = MC at Q

P = intersection of Q and MR = MC Positive economics profit is P > ATC

Monopolistic Competition in the Short Run

Quantity0

Price

Profit-maximizing

quantity

Price

Demand

MR

ATC

Firm Makes Profit

Averagetotal cost

Profit

MC

Monopolistic Competitionin the Short Run

Short-run economic losses encourage firms to exit the market.

Negative economics losses is P < ATC

Monopolistic Competitors in the Short Run

Demand

Quantity0

Price

Price

Loss-minimizing

quantity

Averagetotal cost

Firm Makes Losses

MR

LossesATC

MC

Homework

Multiple Choice – 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7

Short Answer - 21

Monopolistic Competition in Long-Run Equilibrium

Firms will enter and exit until the firms are making exactly zero economic profits.

Monopolistic Competitor in the Long Run

Quantity

Price

0

DemandMR

ATC

MC

Profit-maximizingquantity

P = ATC

The demand curve is tangent to the ATC curve.

And this tangency lies vertically above the intersection of MR and MC.

Monopolistic Competitionversus

Perfect Competition Two differences

Excess capacity Markup over marginal cost

Monopolistic versus

Perfect Competition

Excess Capacity is … Firms produce less than the output at which ATC is

minimized

Monopolistic Competition versus

Perfect Competition

Quantity0

Price

Demand

Monopolistically Competitive Firm

Quantity0

Price

P = MC P = MR(demand

curve)

Perfectly Competitive Firm

MCATC

MCATC

MR

Efficientscale

P

Quantityproduced

Quantity produced =Efficient scale

Monopolistic Competition versus

Perfect Competition

Markup over Marginal Cost Markup = P - MC

More profit is generated

Monopolistic Competition versus

Perfect Competition

Quantity0

Price

Demand

Monopolistically Competitive Firm

Quantity0

Price

P = MC P = MR(demand

curve)

Perfectly Competitive Firm

Markup

MCATC

MCATC

MR

Marginalcost

P

Quantityproduced

Quantity produced

Monopolistic Competition versus

Perfect Competition

Quantity0

Price

Demand

Monopolistically Competitive Firm

Quantity0

Price

P = MC P = MR(demand

curve)

Perfectly Competitive Firm

Markup

Excess capacity

MCATC

MCATC

MR

Marginalcost

Efficientscale

P

Quantityproduced

Quantity produced =Efficient scale

Homework

Multiple Choice – 4, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Short Answer - 22

Product Differentiation

Differentiation by Style or Type Think pizza!!

Deep-dish crust v. thin crust v. stuffed crust

Consumers have different tastes Producers able to increase profits by differentiating

their product.

Product Differentiation

Differentiation by Location Nearer to you is better than farther away.

You may be willing to pay more when it’s closer/more convenient to/for you.

Product Differentiation

Differentiation by Quality Mercedes v. Kia

Prices higher for Mercedes due to perceived/actual quality difference.

Advertising

Advertising delivers two different messages: Information

persuasive

Advertising

Informative Store hours

What we sell

Extra services

Advertising

Persuasive ‘yummiest French fries’

‘Just do it!’

‘this house is charming and located in a lovely neighborhood.’

Use of humor, celebrities, special effects and/or musical jingles.

Brand Names

Brand Names are … Owned by particular companies

Used to differentiate products in consumer’s minds

We think Kleenex for facial tissue. Many other brands of facial tissue. Name brand v. store brand.

Ingredients essentially the same

Name brand cost more.

Homework

Multiple Choice – 13 - 19

Short Answer – 23, 24

Monopolistic Competition: Between Perfect Competition and Monopoly

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