Questions
Chapter 6: The Theory and Estimation of Production Equipped with the theories of production, cost and profit maximization for a single firm, we can investigate how competitive market conditions within an entire industry influence a firm’s prices, output and profitability. In Chapter 10, we examine two important industry-level market structures: Pure (“Perfect”) Competition Monopolistic Competition In addition, we explore McGuigan’s framework for Competitive Strategic Analysis. 1 Chapter 10 - Prices, Output and Strategy: Pure and Monopolistic Competition 2 Chapter 10: Fundamental Concepts and Terminology Relevant Market – The collection of individual firms who produce and sell competing products to consumers within an entire industry. These firms interact with each other in buyer-seller relationships. Market Structure – The product, price and competitive inter-relationships between individual firms in a relevant market. Four major elements of market structure are: The number and relative size of firms in the industry. The similarity of firms’ competing products sold within the industry; this is known as the degree of product differentiation. The extent to which the decision-making of individual firms is independent, and not interdependent or collusive. The conditions (ease or difficulty) for new firms to join an industry (“entry conditions”), or for established firms to leave an industry (“exit conditions”). 3 Chapter 10: Fundamental Concepts and Terminology Variability in Market Structure Fragmented Market – A relevant market where there are a large number of relatively small firms. The four largest firms in a fragmented industry will constitute less than 10% of the sales for the entire relevant market. Concentrated Market – The combined total sales of the four largest firms in the industry constitute a majority of the sales for an entire relevant market. Consolidated Market – Through mergers, acquisitions and/or buyouts, a fragmented market evolves to become a more concentrated market (fewer firms, each relatively larger in size). 4 Chapter 10: Fundamental Concepts and Terminology Continuum of Market Structures – Economists identify four primary competitive market structures: Pure (Perfect) Competition Monopolistic Competition Oligopoly Monopoly Levels of Economic Profit and Relevant Market Effects Recall definition of Economic Profit: Total Economic = Total ─ Total Explicit ─ Total Implicit Profit (TEP) Revenue Cost Cost Normal, Above-Normal and Below-Normal Total Economic Profit If TEP = 0, then TEP is normal. TEP covers opportunity cost. If TEP > 0, then TEP is above-normal. Firms enter industry, if they can. If TEP < 0,="" then="" tep="" is="" below-normal.="" firms="" exit="" industry,="" if="" they="" can.="" 5="" next="" steps="" for="" exploring="" key="" ideas="" about="" market="" competition="" in="" chapter="" 10:="" first,="" fully="" develop="" these="" two="" models="" of="" relatively="" fragmented="" market="" structures:="" pure="" competition="" monopolistic="" competition="" then,="" expand="" on="" the="" important="" aspects="" of="" competitive="" strategy="" highlighted="" by="" mcguigan,="" et="" al.="" what="" is="" the="" market="" model="" of="" pure="" competition?="" pure="" competition="" is="" sometimes="" known="" as="" the="" theory="" of="" perfect="" competition="" because="" the="" model="" predicts="" market="" behavior="" under="" an="" idealized="" set="" of="" market="" conditions.="" pure="" competition="" is="" an="" internally="" consistent="" market="" model.="" the="" theory="" relies="" on="" deductive="" logic="" to="" predict="" market="" results.="" 6="" why="" study="" the="" purely-competitive="" model="" of="" a="" market?="" no="" real-world="" market="" is="" purely="" competitive.="" nevertheless,="" an="" in-depth="" study="" of="" pure="" competition="" offers="" insights="" into="" the="" key="" market="" conditions="" that="" influence="" a="" firm’s="" decisions="" and="" outcomes="" for="" product="" output,="" pricing="" and="" profitability.="" to="" properly="" understand="" the="" purely="" competitive="" model="" of="" a="" market,="" we="" must="" clearly="" delineate="" the="" ideal="" conditions="" governing="" this="" market="" model.="" 7="" the="" ideal="" market="" conditions="" governing="" pure="" competition="" are:="" the="" market="" structure="" is="" perfectly="" fragmented.="" many,="" many="" relatively-small="" firms="" sell="" products="" to="" many,="" many="" relatively="" small="" customers.="" all="" firms="" produce="" a="" homogeneous="" (identical="" or="" non-differentiated)="" product.="" individual="" firms="" have="" perfect="" free-entry="" or="" free-exit="" to-and-from="" the="" industry.="" levels="" of="" total-profit="" (or="" total-loss)="" are="" the="" primary="" motive="" for="" firms="" to="" enter="" or="" exit="" the="" industry.="" 8="" the="" ideal="" market="" conditions="" for="" pure="" competition="" are="" (continued):="" industry-wide="" supply="" and="" market="" demand="" levels="" determine="" an="" equilibrium="" product="" price="" per-unit-output="" faced="" by="" individual="" firms.="" each="" firm="" is="" a="" “price-taker”.="" no="" single="" firm="" has="" any="" market="" power="" to="" control="" the="" industry’s="" product="" price.="" each="" firm="" in="" pure="" competition="" is="" very="" small="" compared="" to="" the="" industry-wide="" relevant="" consumer="" market.="" as="" a="" result,="" the="" owner-manager="" faces="" a="" firm-level="" horizontal="" straight-line="" demand="" function="" (with="" a="" zero-slope).="" individual="" producers="" can="" sell="" as="" many="" additional="" output="" units="" as="" are="" profitable,="" and="" they="" do="" not="" have="" to="" reduce="" price="" to="" sell="" more="" output="" units.="" the="" situation="" is="" comparable="" to="" a="" farm="" grain-producer="" agreeing="" to="" sell="" additional="" bushels="" of="" product="" at="" a="" known="" and="" constant="" “going”="" market="" price="" level.="" 9="" the="" ideal="" market="" conditions="" for="" pure="" competition="" are="" (continued):="" relevant="" information="" for="" product="" pricing,="" cost="" of="" production="" and="" profitability="" is="" freely="" available="" to="" all="" interested="" market="" participants.="" there="" are="" no="" secrets.="" market="" information="" is="" public="" and="" not="" proprietary.="" it="" is="" simple="" and="" costless="" to="" determine="" the="" profit="" levels="" (normal,="" above-normal="" or="" below-normal)="" of="" the="" firms="" operating="" in="" purely="" competitive="" markets.="" all="" owner-managers="" of="" perfectly="" competitive="" firms="" are="" maximizers="" of="" total="" profit="" (tp).="" to="" max="" tp,="" each="" manager="" independently="" decides="" to="" produce="" a="" total="" output="" level="" q="" where="" the="" per-unit="" product="" price="" (p)="" equals="" the="" marginal="" cost="" (mc)="" of="" producing="" another="" output="" unit.="" 10="" during="" our="" examination="" of="" cost="" analysis="" in="" chapter="" 8="" [see="" cost="" analysis="" –="" part="" 2="" powerpoint="" file],="" we="" graphically="" displayed="" the="" connection="" between="" the="" price="" determined="" by="" industry-wide="" supply="" and="" demand,="" and="" the="" product="" price="" faced="" by="" a="" purely="" competitive="" firm="" within="" the="" industry.="" we="" review="" this="" relationship="" again="" below:="" $price="" per="" unit="" of="" output="" $price="" per="" unit="" of="" output="" quantity="" of="" output="" (q)="" [100’s="" of="" q]="" quantity="" of="" output="" (q)="" [million’s="" of="" q]="" entire="" purely="" competitive="" industry="" one="" small="" purely="" competitive="" firm="" in="" the="" industry="" industry="" supply="" industry="" demand="" firm’s="" product="" price="$Marginal" revenue="" equilib.="" $price="" 11="" in="" pure="" competition,="" we="" can="" illustrate="" the="" scenario="" where="" an="" individual="" firm="" temporarily="" earns="" an="" above-normal="" level="" of="" total="" profit="" (tp).="" in="" this="" scenario:="" firm="" produces="" q*="" where="" p="MC" to="" maximize="" tp="" at="" q*,="" product="" price="" (p)=""> Average Total Cost (ATC) When P > ATC, then TP > $0, and we say that TP is “above normal”. $Price per unit of Output or $MC Or $ATC Q* for Total Profit Max $Marginal Cost ($MC) $Marginal Revenue = $Product Price (MR) = ($P) Maximize $Total Profit where $Price = $Marginal Cost $Average Total Cost ($ATC) Quantity of Output (Q) $Product Price ($P) Maximum Total Profit (Since TP > 0, then it is above-normal) $Average Total Cost ($ATC) Total Cost = $ATC • Q* Total Revenue = $P • Q* 12 In Pure Competition, we can illustrate the scenario where an individual firm temporarily earns a below-normal (negative) level of Total Profit (TP). The firm is taking a loss. In this scenario: Firm produces Q* where P = MC to minimize the total loss At Q*, Product Price (P) < average="" total="" cost="" (atc)="" when="" p="">< atc,="" then="" tp="">< $0,="" and="" we="" say="" that="" tp="" is="" “below="" normal”.="" $price="" per="" unit="" of="" output="" or="" $mc="" or="" $atc="" q*="" for="" total="" loss="" minimizing="" $marginal="" cost="" ($mc)="" $marginal="" revenue="$Product" price="" (mr)="($P)" minimize="" $total="" loss="" where="" $price="$Marginal" cost="" $average="" total="" cost="" ($atc)="" quantity="" of="" output="" (q)="" $product="" price="" ($p)="" minimum="" total="" loss="" (since=""><0, then="" it="" is="" below-normal)="" 13="" in="" pure="" competition,="" we="" can="" illustrate="" the="" scenario="" where="" an="" individual="" firm="" earns="" a="" normal="" (zero)="" level="" of="" total="" profit="" (tp).="" the="" firm’s="" profit="opportunity" cost.="" in="" this="" scenario:="" firm="" produces="" q*="" where="" p="MC" to="" maximize="" total="" profit="" (zero="" is="" the="" maximum="" here).="" at="" q*,="" product="" price="" (p)="Average" total="" cost="" (atc)="" when="" p="ATC," then="" tp="$0," and="" we="" say="" that="" tp="" is="" “normal”.="" $price="" per="" unit="" of="" output="" or="" $mc="" or="" $atc="" q*="" for="" total="" profit="" maximizing="" $marginal="" cost="" ($mc)="" $marginal="" revenue="$Product" price="" (mr)="($P)" maximize="" $total="" profit="" (tp="$0)" where="" $price="$Marginal" cost="" $average="" total="" cost="" ($atc)="" quantity="" of="" output="" (q)="" $product="" price="" ($p)="" maximum="" total="" profit="" (since="" tp="0," then="" it="" is="" normal)="" 14="" the="" interaction="" of="" costless="" information,="" free-entry,="" free-exit="" and="" total="" profit="" levels="" in="" pure="" competition="" the="" level="" of="" total="" profit="" earned="" by="" purely="" competitive="" firms="" is="" public,="" free="" and="" relevant="" information.="" over="" the="" long="" term,="" if="" purely="" competitive="" firms="" are="" earning="" above-normal="" total="" profit,="" then="" informed="" and="" profit-seeking="" entrepreneurs="" take="" advantage="" of="" “free="" entry”="" and="" join="" the="" industry="" in="" large="" numbers.="" the="" new="" entrants="" add="" to="" the="" industry’s="" market="" supply,="" and="" the="" market="" supply="" function="" shifts="" to="" the="" right.="" the="" increased="" market="" supply="" causes="" the="" market="" equilibrium="" product="" price="" to="" decrease.="" as="" the="" market="" price="" falls,="" so="" does="" the="" total="" profit="" level="" for="" the="" purely="" competitive="" firms.="" as="" long="" as="" total="" profit="" is="" above-normal,="" free="" entry="" will="" continue="" to="" add="" new="" firms="" and="" expand="" the="" market="" supply.="" continued="" →="" 15="" scenario="" 1="" -="" effect="" of="" “free-entry”="" on="" market="" price="" (p)="" and="" the="" purely="" competitive="" firm’s="" total="" profit="" (tp):="" when="" firm="" produces="" q1*="" where="" $p1="MC," then="" tp=""> 0 (Above-Normal). Then Free-Entry causes an increased Industry Supply. Supply shifts right. When new Market Price 2 established, then $P2 = MC, and TP = 0 (Normal). $Price per unit of Output $Price per unit of Output Quantity of Output (Q) [100’s of Q] Quantity of Output (Q) [Million’s of Q] Entire Purely Competitive Industry One Small Purely Competitive Firm in the Industry Industry Supply 1 Industry Demand Firm’s Initial $Price 1 $P1=MC Industry Supply 2 $Price 2 Firm’s New $Price 2 $MC $ATC $Price 1 $P2=MC Q1* Q2* 16 The interaction of Costless Information, Free-Entry, Free-Exit and Total Profit levels in Pure Competition (Continued) When free-entry has increased the market supply sufficiently to cause the market price P to equal Average Total Cost (ATC), then TP drops to $Zero, and the free-entry of new firms stops because TP is simply “normal”. Since TP now equals its opportunity cost, there is no longer any extra motive for new firms to enter the purely competitive industry. Entrepreneurs now look elsewhere in the economy to see if “greener pastures can be found”. The Purely Competitive industry can stabilize where: Price = Marginal Cost Price = Minimum Average Total Cost What happens in Pure0,>