GRAPHICAL ANALYSIS
Graphical Analysis

- shows and explains price
and output determination
Short-run Equilibrium of a Firm Under
Pure Competition

- determined by the intersection of MR
  and MC curves where MR = MC (or the
  equilibrium of the competitive firm
  which is also profit maximization).
Short-run equilibrium of a firm under pure
competition EARNING


                                   MC              AC

                                                                    If MR = MC
P4                                                                  and MR > AC
               PROFIT                                MR = Price     - competitive firm
                                                                    is earning pure
                                                                    profit
                                      Most profitable output




                                    80
- this graph indicates 80 units at a price of P4 per unit as the most profitable output.
Short-run equilibrium of a firm under pure
competition LOSING
                            MC
                                            AC
                                                                 If   AC > MR
                                                                 - competitive firm
                                                                 is losing
Price      LOSS
                                                                 MR = Price



                            Least loss output




                             Quantity
-to minimize the lose the firm should produce an output where Price = MC (or MR = MC)
Long-run Equilibrium of a Firm Under
Pure Competition

- where MR = MC = AC = price
Long-run equilibrium position of a competitive firm

                        MC
                                         AC

                                                  MR = AC = MC = AC

Price
                                                  MR

                         Equilibrium point


                         Most profitable output


                   Quantity
Pure Monopoly
- Demand for the product of the firm is
  same as the market demand of product
- demand curve is down sloping
- Monopolist can only increase his sales
  by offering a lower unit price for its
  product
Table 5.2. Demand and revenue schedule of a pure
monopolist.
       QD       PRICE       TR       MR
        1        P 50      P 50P

        2         45        90       P 40

        3         40       120        30

        4         35       140        20

        5         30       150        10

        6         25       150        0

        7         20       140       - 10
D, MR, TR of an imperfect type of market
structure like the monopolist.
                                           - More units are sold
                                             at a lower price
                            TR             - TR increases at a
                                             decreasing rate
                                             and then declines
                                             after reaching its
Price
                                             maximum
                                           - MR is always lower
                                             than the price
                                           - At a lower price,
                                             additional income
                                             is lower than the
                                  D          previous additional
                                             income
                    Units
                                  MR
Profit Maximizing and Loss Minimizing
    Positions of a Pure Monopolist
Profit maximization under the pure monopoly

 P                      MC
                                      AC
                                                       Price > AC
                                                       - Pure Monopolist
                                                          enjoys a
      Monopoly Profit
                                                          monopoly profit
                                                          because there
                                                          are no
                                  D (or price curve)
                                                          competitors
                        MC = MR
     Most
     Profitable
     Output


 O                                                     Q

           units                   MR
Loss minimization under the pure monopoly
              MR
 P                          AC

                                                     Price < AC
                       MC
            Loss


                            D (or price curve)


     Least loss
     output
                       MC = MR


 O                                               Q

           units
Short-run Profits/Loss and Long Run
    Equilibrium under Monopolistic
              Competition
- Demand curve is highly elastic (but not
perfectly elastic) because of the presence
of relatively large number of competitors
selling close substitute products.
Short-run profit

                        MC        SHORT-RUN PROFIT
                             AC
                                  - Maximize its
 P                                  profits at an
                                    output (units)
         Profit
                                    indicated by the
AC                            D     intersection of MC
                                    and MR
                                  - Attract more firms
                                    to enter the
                                    market
                       MR



  O
                   Q
Short-run loss
                                    LONG-RUN PROFIT
                     MC             - Minimize its losses
                                      at an output
                               AC     (units) indicated
  P                                   by the intersection
          Loss                        of MC and MR

 AC
                               D



                          MR



  O
                 Q
Long-run equilibrium
                                 AC
                       MC                 LONG-RUN
                                          EQUILIBRIUM
                                          - Firms just earn
P = AC                                      normal profits
                                            which is break-even
                                          - This means TR = TC
                                      D




                            MR



     O
                  Q
Various Market Situations Facing a
        Firm Under Oligopoly

-When a firm reduces its price, the other
ones also reduces their prices “PRICE
WAR”
(a) The demand curve of a firm which increases its
price without reaction from rivals
 P




                            D




 O                                        Q
(b) The demand curve under non-collusive
oligopoly.
                                  If the price cut (P2) is
                                  ignored by rivals, the
  P                               firm can sell up to Q3.
          a
                                  But if rivals also match
 P1
                                  the price cut, then the
                                  firm can only sell up to
 P2                               Q2.
                          D




                D1
 O                                     Q
        Q1 Q2        Q3
(c) Price reduction

                                    PRICE REDUCTION
 P                                  from the current
                                    market price does not
                                    only twist(kink) the
                                    demand curve but also
                                    the MR curve which is a
 P1                                 vertical twist.
                                D




                           MR
 O                                          Q
                      Q1
(d) The equilibrium price under non-collusive
oligopoly
                                      - The most profitable
 P                                      output is Q1 and
                                        remains the most
                                        profitable output.
                                      - The most profitable
                                 MC     price is P1. Any shift
 P1                                     in MC within the
                                        vertical segment of
                                        MR does not change
                                        either price or
                                        output
                            D



 O                                             Q
                   Q1       MR
(e) Profit maximization of a firm under collusive
oligopoly
                                             Oligopolists agree
 P                                           together with respect
                              MC             to both price and
                                             production in order to
                                             gain maximum profits.
                                        AC
 P1
       Economic Profit


                                   D


                                   MR
 O                                                   Q
                         Q1

Graphical analysis

  • 1.
  • 2.
    Graphical Analysis - showsand explains price and output determination
  • 3.
    Short-run Equilibrium ofa Firm Under Pure Competition - determined by the intersection of MR and MC curves where MR = MC (or the equilibrium of the competitive firm which is also profit maximization).
  • 4.
    Short-run equilibrium ofa firm under pure competition EARNING MC AC If MR = MC P4 and MR > AC PROFIT MR = Price - competitive firm is earning pure profit Most profitable output 80 - this graph indicates 80 units at a price of P4 per unit as the most profitable output.
  • 5.
    Short-run equilibrium ofa firm under pure competition LOSING MC AC If AC > MR - competitive firm is losing Price LOSS MR = Price Least loss output Quantity -to minimize the lose the firm should produce an output where Price = MC (or MR = MC)
  • 6.
    Long-run Equilibrium ofa Firm Under Pure Competition - where MR = MC = AC = price
  • 7.
    Long-run equilibrium positionof a competitive firm MC AC MR = AC = MC = AC Price MR Equilibrium point Most profitable output Quantity
  • 8.
    Pure Monopoly - Demandfor the product of the firm is same as the market demand of product - demand curve is down sloping - Monopolist can only increase his sales by offering a lower unit price for its product
  • 9.
    Table 5.2. Demandand revenue schedule of a pure monopolist. QD PRICE TR MR 1 P 50 P 50P 2 45 90 P 40 3 40 120 30 4 35 140 20 5 30 150 10 6 25 150 0 7 20 140 - 10
  • 10.
    D, MR, TRof an imperfect type of market structure like the monopolist. - More units are sold at a lower price TR - TR increases at a decreasing rate and then declines after reaching its Price maximum - MR is always lower than the price - At a lower price, additional income is lower than the D previous additional income Units MR
  • 11.
    Profit Maximizing andLoss Minimizing Positions of a Pure Monopolist
  • 12.
    Profit maximization underthe pure monopoly P MC AC Price > AC - Pure Monopolist enjoys a Monopoly Profit monopoly profit because there are no D (or price curve) competitors MC = MR Most Profitable Output O Q units MR
  • 13.
    Loss minimization underthe pure monopoly MR P AC Price < AC MC Loss D (or price curve) Least loss output MC = MR O Q units
  • 14.
    Short-run Profits/Loss andLong Run Equilibrium under Monopolistic Competition - Demand curve is highly elastic (but not perfectly elastic) because of the presence of relatively large number of competitors selling close substitute products.
  • 15.
    Short-run profit MC SHORT-RUN PROFIT AC - Maximize its P profits at an output (units) Profit indicated by the AC D intersection of MC and MR - Attract more firms to enter the market MR O Q
  • 16.
    Short-run loss LONG-RUN PROFIT MC - Minimize its losses at an output AC (units) indicated P by the intersection Loss of MC and MR AC D MR O Q
  • 17.
    Long-run equilibrium AC MC LONG-RUN EQUILIBRIUM - Firms just earn P = AC normal profits which is break-even - This means TR = TC D MR O Q
  • 18.
    Various Market SituationsFacing a Firm Under Oligopoly -When a firm reduces its price, the other ones also reduces their prices “PRICE WAR”
  • 19.
    (a) The demandcurve of a firm which increases its price without reaction from rivals P D O Q
  • 20.
    (b) The demandcurve under non-collusive oligopoly. If the price cut (P2) is ignored by rivals, the P firm can sell up to Q3. a But if rivals also match P1 the price cut, then the firm can only sell up to P2 Q2. D D1 O Q Q1 Q2 Q3
  • 21.
    (c) Price reduction PRICE REDUCTION P from the current market price does not only twist(kink) the demand curve but also the MR curve which is a P1 vertical twist. D MR O Q Q1
  • 22.
    (d) The equilibriumprice under non-collusive oligopoly - The most profitable P output is Q1 and remains the most profitable output. - The most profitable MC price is P1. Any shift P1 in MC within the vertical segment of MR does not change either price or output D O Q Q1 MR
  • 23.
    (e) Profit maximizationof a firm under collusive oligopoly Oligopolists agree P together with respect MC to both price and production in order to gain maximum profits. AC P1 Economic Profit D MR O Q Q1