Download Why is MR less than Demand?

Imperfect Competition
Monopoly
1
Characteristics of
Monopolies
2
5 Characteristics of a Monopoly
1. Single Seller
• One Firm controls the vast majority of a
market
• The Firm IS the Industry
2. Unique good with no close substitutes
3. “Price Maker”
The firm can manipulate the price by changing
the quantity it produces (ie. shifting supply to
the left).
3
5 Characteristics of a Monopoly
4. High Barriers to Entry
• New firms CANNOT enter market
• No immediate competitors
• Firm can make profit in the long-run
5. Some “Nonprice” Competition
• Despite having no close competitors,
monopolies still advertise their products
in an effort to increase demand.
4
Origins of
Monopolies
5
How can Monopolies Develop?
1. Geography is the Barrier to Entry
Ex: Nowhere gas stations, De Beers Diamonds, Green
Bay Packers, Cable TV, …
-Location or control of resources limits competition
and leads to one supplier.
2. The Government is the Barrier to Entry
Ex: Water Company, Firefighters, The Army,
Pharmaceutical drugs, rubik’s cubes…
-Government allows monopoly for public benefits or
to stimulate innovation.
-The government issues patents to protect inventors
and forbids others from using their invention.
(They last 20 years)
6
How can Monopolies Develop?
3. Technology or Common Use is the Barrier to Entry
Ex: Microsoft, Intel, Frisbee, Band-Aide…
-Patents and widespread availability of certain products
lead to only one major firm controlling a market.
4. Mass Production and Low Costs are Barriers to Entry
Ex: Electric Companies
• If there were three competing electric companies
they would have higher costs.
• Having only one electric company keeps prices low
-Economies of scale make it impractical to have
smaller firms.
Natural Monopoly- It is NATURAL for only one firm to
produce because they can produce at the lowest cost. 7
Drawing
Monopolies
8
Good news…
1.Only one graph because the
firm IS the industry.
2.The cost curves are the same
3.The MR= MC rule still applies
4.Shut down rule still applies
9
The Main Difference
• Monopolies (and all Imperfectly
competitive firms) have downward
sloping demand curves.
• Which means, to sell more a firm must
lower its price.
• This changes MR…
THE MARGINAL REVENUE
DOESN’T EQUAL THE PRICE!
10
Why is MR less than
Demand?
P
Qd
$11
0
TR MR
0
-
11
Why is MR less than
Demand?
$10
P
Qd
$11
$10
0
1
TR MR
0
10
10
12
Why is MR less than
Demand?
$10
$9
P
Qd
$11
$10
$9
0
1
2
TR MR
0
10
18
10
8
$9
13
Why is MR less than
Demand?
$10
$9
$9
$8
$8
P
Qd
$11
$10
$9
$8
0
1
2
3
TR MR
0
10
18
24
10
8
6
$8
14
Why is MR less than
Demand?
$10
$9
$9
$8
$8
$8
$7
$7
$7
P
Qd
$11
$10
$9
$8
$7
0
1
2
3
4
TR MR
0
10
18
24
28
10
8
6
4
$7
15
Why is MR less than
Demand?
$10
$9
$9
$8
$8
$8
$7
$7
$7
$7
$6
$6
$6
$6
P
Qd
$11
$10
$9
$8
$7
$6
0
1
2
3
4
5
TR MR
0
10
18
24
28
30
10
8
6
4
2
$6
16
Why is MR less than
Demand?
$10
$9
$9
$8
$8
$8
$7
$7
$7
$7
$6
$6
$6
$6
$6
$5
$5
$5
$5
$5
P
Qd
$11
$10
$9
$8
$7
$6
$5
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
TR MR
0
10
18
24
28
30
30
10
8
6
4
2
0
$5
17
Why is MR less than
Demand?
$10
$9
$9
$8
$8
$8
$7
$7
$7
$7
$6
$6
$6
$6
$6
$5
$5
$5
$5
$5
$5
$4
$4
$4
$4
$4
$4
P
Qd
$11
$10
$9
$8
$7
$6
$5
$4
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
TR MR
0
10
18
24
28
30
30
28
10
8
6
4
2
0
-2
$4
18
Why is MR less than
Demand?
$10
$9
$9
$8
$8
$8
$7
$7
$7
$7
$6
$6
$6
$6
$6
$5
$5
$5
$5
$5
$5
$4
$4
$4
$4
$4
$4
P
Qd
$11
$10
$9
$8
$7
$6
$5
$4
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
TR MR
10
18
24
28
30
30
28
10
8
6
4
2
0
-2
$4
19
Why is MR less than
Demand?
$10
$9
$9
$8
$8
$7
$7
$6
$6
$6
$6
$6
$5
$5
$5
$5
$5
$5
$4
$4
$4
$4
$4
$4
P
Qd
$11
$10
$9
$8
$7
$6
$5
$4
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
TR MR
MR
$8 IS LESS THAN
$7 $7 PRICE
10
18
24
28
30
30
28
10
8
6
4
2
0
-2
$4
20
MR IS LESS THAN PRICE
Loss = $20
$100
$90
2
3
By charging $90 rather
than $100 the monopolist
sells the third unit and
gains $90 from the sale
BUT from this gain $20
must be subtracted (the
$10 less the monopolist
charged for each of the
first two units). Therefore
MR for the third unit is
$70, much less than the
sale price of $90.
21
Calculating
Marginal Revenue
22
To sell more a firm must lower its price. What
happens to Marginal Revenue?
Price
Quantity
Demanded
$6
0
$5
1
$4
2
$3
3
$2
4
$1
5
Total
Revenue
Marginal
Revenue
Does the Marginal Revenue equal the price?
23
To sell more a firm must lower its price. What
happens to Marginal Revenue?
Price
Quantity
Demanded
Total
Revenue
$6
0
0
$5
1
5
$4
2
8
$3
3
9
$2
4
8
$1
5
5
Marginal
Revenue
Does the Marginal Revenue equal the price?
24
To sell more a firm must lower its price. What
happens to Marginal Revenue?
Price
Quantity
Demanded
Total
Revenue
Marginal
Revenue
$6
0
0
-
$5
$4
MR
1 DOESN’T
5
2
8
EQUAL PRICE
5
3
$3
3
9
1
$2
4
8
-1
$1
5
5
-3
Draw Demand and Marginal Revenue Curves
25
Plot the Demand, Marginal Revenue, and
Total Revenue Curves
P
$15
10
5
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Q
TR
$64
40
20
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Q
26
Demand and Marginal Revenue Curves
What happens to TR when MR hits zero?
P
$15
10
5
D
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Q
TR
$64
40
20
MR
Total Revenue is
at its peak when
MR hits zero
TR
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Q
27
Elastic vs. Inelastic
Range of Demand Curve
28
Elastic and Inelastic Range
P
Total Revenue Test
If price falls and TR
increases then
demand is elastic.
Elastic
Inelastic
$15
10
5
D
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
TR
Total Revenue Test
If price falls and
TR falls then
demand is inelastic.
$64
40
20
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Q
A monopoly
MR
will only
produce in
the elastic
range
TR
Q
29
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Maximizing
Profit
30
What output should this monopoly produce?
MR = MC
How much is the TR, TC and Profit or Loss?
P
$9
8
7 Profit =$6
6
MC
ATC
5
4
3
2
D
MR
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Q
31
Conclusion: A monopolists produces where
MR=MC, buts charges the price consumer are
willing to pay identified by the demand curve.
P
$9
8
7
6
MC
ATC
5
4
3
2
D
MR
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Q
32
What if cost are higher?
How much is the TR, TC, and Profit or Loss?
MC
P
ATC
$10
9
8
AVC
7
6
5
D
4
TR= $90
TC= $100
Loss=$10
MR
3
6 7 8 9 10
Q
33
Identify and
TR=
Calculate:
TC=
Profit/Loss=
Profit/Loss per Unit=
P
$70
$56
$14
$2
MC
ATC
$10
9
8
7
6
D
MR
5
4
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
9 10
Q
34
Are Monopolies
Efficient?
35
Monopolies vs. Perfect Competition
S = MC
P
CS
In perfect competition,
CS and PS are
maximized.
Ppc
PS
D
Qpc
Q
36
Monopolies vs. Perfect Competition
S = MC
P
At MR=MC,
A monopolist will
produce less and
charge a higher price
Pm
Ppc
D
MR
Qm
Qpc
Q
37
Monopolies vs. Perfect Competition
Where is CS
and PS for a
monopoly?
P
S = MC
CS
Total surplus falls.
Now there is
DEADWEIGHT
LOSS
Pm
PS
Monopolies underproduce and over
D
charge, decreasing CS and
increasing
PS.
MR
Qm
Q
38
Are Monopolies Productively Efficient?
Does Price = Min ATC?
P
$9
8
7
6
No. They are not
producing at the lowest
cost (min ATC)
MC
ATC
5
4
3
2
D
MR
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Q
39
Are Monopolies Allocatively Efficiency?
Does Price = MC?
P
$9
8
7
6
No. Price is greater.
The monopoly is under
producing.
MC
ATC
5
4
3
D
Monopolies are NOT efficient!
2
MR
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Q
40
Monopolies are inefficient because
they…
1. Charge a higher price
2. Don’t produce enough
• Not allocatively efficiency
3. Produce at higher costs
• Not productively efficiency
4. Have little incentive to innovate
Why?
Because there is little external pressure to
be efficient
41
Natural Monopoly
One firm can produce the socially optimal quantity
at the lowest cost due to economies scale.
P
It is better to have only
one firm because ATC is
falling at socially
optimal quantity
MC
ATC
MR
D
Qsocially optimal Q
42
Regulating
Monopolies
43
Why Regulate?
Why would the government regulate a
monopoly?
1. To keep prices low
2. To make monopolies efficient
How do they regulate?
•Use Price controls: Price Ceilings
•Why don’t taxes work?
•Taxes limit supply and that’s the problem
44
Where should the government
place the price ceiling?
1.Socially Optimal Price
P = MC (Allocative Efficiency)
OR
2. Fair-Return Price (Break–Even)
P = ATC (Normal Profit)
45
Regulating Monopolies
Where does the firm produce if it is
unregulated?
P
MC
Pm
ATC
D
MR
Qm
Q
46
Regulating Monopolies
PriceOptimal
Ceiling at
Socially Optimal
Socially
= Allocative
Efficiency
P
MC
Pm
Pso
ATC
D
MR
Qm
Qso
Q
47
Regulating Monopolies
Price Ceiling
Returnprofit
Fair Return
meansat
noFair
economic
P
MC
Pm
Pso
Pfr
ATC
D
MR
Qm
Qso Qfr
Q
48
Regulating Monopolies
Unregulated
P
Socially
Optimal MC
Fair
Return
Pm
Pso
Pfr
ATC
D
MR
Qm
Qso Qfr
Q
49
Regulating a Natural Monopoly
What happens if the government sets a price ceiling
to get the socially optimal quantity?
P
The firm would make a
loss and would require a
subsidy
MC
ATC
Pso
MR
D
Qsocially optimal Q
50
Lump Sum vs. Per Unit
Taxes and Subsidies
51
Price
Discrimination
52
Price Discrimination
Definition:
Practice of selling the same products
to different buyers at different prices
Examples:
•Airline Tickets (vacation vs. business)
•Movie Theaters (child vs. adult)
•All Coupons (spenders vs. savers)
53
PRICE DISCRIMINATION
•Price discrimination seeks to charge each
consumer what they are willing to pay in an
effort to increase profits.
•Those with inelastic demand are charged
more than those with elastic
Requires the following conditions:
1. Must have monopoly power
2. Must be able to segregate the market
3. Consumers must NOT be able to resell
product
54
P
Qd
$11
0
TR MR
0
-
55
Results of Price
Discrimination
$10
P
Qd
$11
$10
0
1
TR MR
0
10
10
56
Results of Price
Discrimination
$10
P
Qd
$11
$10
$9
0
1
2
TR MR
0
10
19
10
9
$10 $9
57
Results of Price
Discrimination
$10
$10 $9
$10 $9
P
Qd
$11
$10
$9
$8
0
1
2
3
TR MR
0
10
19
27
10
9
8
$8
58
Results of Price
Discrimination
$10
$10 $9
$10 $9
$8
$10 $9
$8
P
Qd
$11
$10
$9
$8
$7
0
1
2
3
4
TR MR
0
10
19
27
34
10
9
8
7
$7
59
Results of Price
Discrimination
$10
$10 $9
$10 $9
$8
$10 $9
$8
$7
$10 $9
$8
$7
$6
$10 $9
$8
$7
$6
$5
$10 $9
$8
$7
$6
$5
P
Qd
$11
$10
$9
$8
$7
$6
$5
$4
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
TR MR
0
10
19
27
34
40
45
49
10
$9
$8
$7
$6
$5
$4
$4
60
P
Qd
$10 $9
$11 0
$10 1
$9
2
$8
3
WHEN PRICE
$7
4
$8
DISCIMINATING
$6
5
$8 $7 MR = D$5 6
$4
7
$8 $7 $6
$10 $9
$8
$7
$6
$5
$10 $9
$8
$7
$6
$5
$10
$10 $9
$10 $9
$10 $9
TR MR
0
10
19
27
34
40
45
49
10
$9
$8
$7
$6
$5
$4
$4
61
Regular Monopoly vs.
Price Discriminating Monopoly
P
MC
Pm
ATC
D
MR
Qm
Q
62
A perfectly discriminating monopoly can charge
each person differently so the
Marginal Revenue = Demand
P
MC
ATC
D
MR
Q
63
A perfectly discriminating firm/industry can
charge each person differently so the Marginal
Revenue = Demand
P Identify the Price, Profit, CS, and DWL
MC
ATC
D =MR
Qnm
Q
64
A perfectly discriminating can charge each person
differently so the Marginal Revenue = Demand
Identify the Price, Profit, CS, and DWL
P
MC
ATC
D =MR
Price Discrimination results in several
prices, more profit, no CS, and a higher
socially optimal
quantity
Q
Q
nm
65