II.) Monopolistic competition is characterized by many small businesses that produce differentiated products with weak barriers to entry. In the short run, firms behave similarly to monopolies by producing where marginal revenue equals marginal cost. However, in the long run competition drives economic profits to zero as entry and exit occurs. While monopolistic competition provides variety for consumers, it is less efficient than perfect competition due to excess capacity and markups pricing above marginal cost.
4. Between Monopoly and PC Competition
Two extremes
I.) Perfect competition: many firms, identical products
IV.) Monopoly: one firm
In between these extremes: imperfect competition
III.) Oligopoly: only a few sellers offer similar or identical
products.
II.) Monopolistic competition: many firms sell similar
but not identical products.
5. Characteristics Perfect
Competition
Monopolistic
Competition
Oligopoly Monopoly
# of sellers Many
(price takers)
One
(no substitutes)
Substitution of
Product sold
Only one
product type
from all sellers
No Substitutes
Barriers to
entry into
market
No barriers to
enter/ exit
Almost
impossible for
others to enter
the market
Pricing vs MC
and MR
P =MC=MR P > MR
P > MC
Efficiently Efficient with
zero econ profit
P = ATC
P > ATC
Big LR profits
Many
(a few
price makers)
Imperfect
substitutes
Weak barriers
to enter/ exit
P > MR
P > MC
P = ATC
zero econ profits
in LR
6. When the price of one firm’s product rises, the
quantity demanded of that firm’s product decreases.
(normal looking demand curve)
II.) Monopolistic Competition
Product differentiation
Four items that are the key to this market structure:
Slightly different from
competing firms, but it may
have close substitutes
7. II.) Monopolistic Competition
Product differentiation
Four items that are the key to this market structure:
Even though firms are selling
different products there is still
highly competitive forces on
firms and the decisions they
make.
Many firms with
weak barriers to
entry
Later this plays into the
debate over advertising
8. Short Run Firm behavior is very similar to
monopoly but with competition
If profits in the short run:
New firms enter market,
taking some demand away from existing firms,
prices and profits fall.
If losses in the short run:
Some firms exit the market,
remaining firms enjoy higher demand and prices.
II.) Monopolistic Competition
Four items that are the key to this market structure:
9. Similar to perfect competition.Long Run
Entry and exit drive
economic profit to zero.
II.) Monopolistic Competition
Four items that are the key to this market structure:
Short Run Firm behavior is very similar to
monopoly but with competition
10. (MR) Marginal Revenue
Profit Maximization
∆TR
∆Q
Profit-Maximizing Output: level at which (MR) marginal revenue
equals (MC) marginal cost
MR = MC
We assume all firms are profit maximizing, producing
at the point where their profits are at their highest
(MC) Marginal Cost
∆TC
∆Q
Same answers as before
11. IV.) Monopoly Demand
Q
P
****The important thing to understand is that when a monopoly
wants to sell at a larger Q it must lower it’s price on every
single unit made, including ones already made
D = AR =P
To sell a larger Q,
the firm must reduce P
on all units.
Thus, MR ≠ P.
20 40
10
6
Same as for
Monopoly
12. IV.) Monopoly Demand
Q
P
To sell a larger Q,
the firm must reduce P on
all units.
Thus, MR ≠ P.
And will always be,
MR < P
MR
Price:
P = D = AR
Where average revenue
meets the quantity produced
MC
D = AR =P
14. Q
P
D = AR
MR
MC
Price
P = D at MR = MC
ATC
Difference between
AR and ATC
Profit Amount
Q = ATC
Cost
MR is below D since have to reduce
the price on every extra unit
Making an economic (abnormal)
profit in the short run
II.) Monopolistic Competition Short Run
Profit-Maximizing Level
MR = MC
15. P
Q Q
Monopoly short run and
long run
P
Monopolistic Competition in the short
run
A MC firm can make an economic (abnormal) profit in the short run
- Output is not productively and not allocatively efficient
However the big difference is that MC firms demand curves are
usually much more elastic because of competition
D
MR
MC
ATC
MC
ATC
II.) Monopolistic Competition Short Run
D
MR
16. P
Q Q
Monopoly short run and
long run
P
Monopolistic Competition in the short
run
A MC firm can make an economic (abnormal) profit in the short run
- Output is not productively and not allocatively efficient
However the big difference is that MC firms demand curves are
usually much more elastic because of competition
D
MR
MC
ATC
MC
ATC
II.) Monopolistic Competition Short Run
D
MR
the big difference is that MC firms demand
curves are usually much more elastic because
of competition
17. Q
P
D = AR
MR
MC
Profit-Maximizing Level
MR = MC
Price
P = D at MR = MC
ATC
Difference between
AR and ATC
Loss Amount
Q = ATC
Cost
Making an economic loss in the short
run
II.) Monopolistic Competition Short Run
MC short run – losing money
18. Q
P
D = AR
MR
MC
Profit-Maximizing Level
MR = MC
Price
P = D at MR = MC
ATC
Difference between
AR and ATC
Loss Amount
Q = ATC
Cost
Making an economic loss in the short
run
II.) Monopolistic Competition Short Run
AVC
The same issue of shutting down in the
short run if the price is below AVC
just like with perfect competition.
19. Q
P
D = AR
MR
MC
Profit-Maximizing Level
MR = MC
Price
P = D at MR = MC
ATC
Difference between
AR and ATC
Loss Amount
Q = ATC
Cost
Making an economic loss in the short
run
II.) Monopolistic Competition Short Run
***Run into the same issue of shutting down in the short
run if the price is below AVC just like with perfect
competition.
AVC
20. Similar to perfect competition.Long Run
Entry and exit drive
economic profit to zero.
II.) Monopolistic Competition
Four items that are the key to this market structure:
Short Run Firm behavior is very similar to
monopoly but with competition
21. II.) Monopolistic Competition Long Run
In the long run a MC firm can only earn a normal profit
In the Long Run…
Since they are selling slightly different products, there are substitutions for their product if the price is too high and
take away some of the firms demand for their good or service.
The barriers to entry aren’t very high and if there are abnormal
profits then other firms will enter the market and take away some of
the firms demand for their G&S.
Since there are many sellers, the firm can’t have monopoly-like
power and that takes away some of the firms demand for the good or
service.
So only a normal profit P = ATC
22. II.) Monopolistic Competition Long Run
In the long run a MC firm can only earn a normal profitIn the long run a MC firm can only earn a normal profit
In the Long Run…
There are substitutions for their product if the price is
too high. ( This can shift the demand for the firm)
The barriers to entry aren’t very high. (This can
shift the demand for the firm)
Since there are many sellers. (This can shift the
demand for the firm)
So all they can do is make a normal profit means
price will equal costs
P = ATC
23. Q
P
D = AR
MR
MC
Profit-Maximizing Level
MR = MC
Price
P = D at MR = MC
ATC
Difference between AR
and ATC = 0
(normal profit)
Profit Amount
Q = ATC
Cost
*** In the long run the demand curve will be touching the ATC
curve at one point on the downward sloping side and that it the
long run equilibrium.
Making a normal profit in the long run
II.) Monopolistic Competition Long Run
25. P
Q
S
D
Q
Market D + S
P
MC Firm short run
MC
Other firms notice that there are abnormal profits to be made and
would also like to make those profits and so enter the market
and shift the supply curve to the left which also decreases the
demand for the individual firm and shifts their demand curve
to the right
ATC
MR
D
II.) From Short Run to Long Run
26. P
Q
S
D
Q
Market D + S
P
MC Firm Long Run Equilibrium
MC
Market supply increases
Individual firm demand ( not market demand) decreases to point
of making a normal profit
ATC
MR
D
S1
MR1
D1
II.) From Short Run to Long Run
27. P
Q
D
QQ1
P1
Market D + S
P
MC Firm Long Run Equilibrium
MC
Market supply increases
Individual firm demand ( not market demand) decreases to point
of making a normal profit
ATC
II.) Monopolistic Competition Long Run
S1
MR1
D1
28. P
Q Q
MC firm Short Run Equilibrium
P
MC Firm Long Run Equilibrium
MC
ATC
II.) Monopolistic Competition SR and LR
MR
D
MC
ATC
MR
D
Short run is like monopoly, long run is
like perfect competition, except the
Demand curve is tangent to the ATC
curve but not at the lowest ATC point
30. Q
P
D = AR
MR
MC
ATC
Making a normal profit in the long run
II.) Monopolistic Competition Welfare Analysis
I will remove the ATC curve just to make this easier to read, to find allocative
efficiency since it is not a main curve used to figure out surpluses, just know
that it is there and makes this not all straight lines
Allocative efficiency
Most desirable outcome from
society’s perspective
31. Q
P
D = AR
MR
MC
Making a normal profit in the long run
II.) Monopolistic Competition Welfare Analysis
MC firm produces at profit
maximizing point of MR
= MC
For society
Allocative efficiency is
Profit-Maximizing
MR = MC
Surplus-Maximizing
P = MC
Deadweight loss to
society
Difference of what production
society wants but a monopolistic
firm actually makes
32. Q
P
D = AR
MR
MC
ATC
Making a normal profit in the long run
II.) Monopolistic Competition Welfare Analysis
Productive efficiency
Producing at the most efficient
possible amount
For productive efficiency I have to leave in the ATC curve because productive
efficiency is asking if the firm is producing the good or service at the most
efficient point for the firm in regards to society.
33. Q
P
D = AR
MR
MC
Making a normal profit in the long run
II.) Monopolistic Competition Welfare Analysis
MC firm produces at profit
maximizing point of MR
= MC
Profit-Maximizing
MR = MC
Deadweight loss to
society
Difference of what production
society wants but monopolistic
firm actually makes
ATC
***Technically there is no consumer
surplus or producer surplus in
the long run
For society
productive efficiency is
Surplus-Maximizing
Q = min ATC
34. P
Q QQ1
P1
P
Long RunShort Run
MC
ATC
MR
D
MC
ATC
MR
D1
Abnormal profit - YES
Productively - NO
Efficient
(Q = min ATC )
Allocatively - NO
Efficient ( P = MR )
Abnormal profit - NO
Productively - NO
Efficient
(Q = min ATC )
Allocatively - NO
Efficient ( P = MR )
35. II.) Monopolistic Competition Welfare Analysis
Why Monopolistic Competition Is Less Efficient than Perfect Competition
Excess
capacity
Markup over
marginal cost
monopolistic competitor operates on
the downward-sloping part of its ATC
curve, produces less than the cost-
minimizing output..
Under perfect competition, firms produce the
quantity that minimizes ATC.
Under monopolistic competition,
P > MC.
Under perfect competition, P = MC.
36. Q
P
D = AR
MR
MC
Making a normal profit in the long run
II.) Monopolistic Competition Welfare Analysis
ATC
Excess capacity
operates on theoperates on the
downward-downward-
sloping part ofsloping part of
itsits ATCATC curvecurve
Markup
P > MC
37. Consumer and Producer surplus is very hard to measure but…
II.) Monopolistic Competition Welfare Analysis
Problems with Welfare Analysis:
*** The inefficiencies of monopolistic competition are subtle and
hard to measure. No easy way for policymakers to improve the
market outcome.
Number of firms in the market may not be optimal, due to external
effects from the entry of new firms::
The product-variety
externality
surplus consumers get
from the introduction of
new products.
The business-stealing
externality
losses incurred by existing
firms when new firms enter
market.
38. II.) Monopolistic Competition Welfare Analysis
So far, we have studied three market structures:
perfect competition, monopoly, and
monopolistic competition. In each of these,
would you expect to see firms spending
money to advertise their products? Why or
why not?
Is advertising good or bad from society’s
viewpoint? Try to think of at least one “pro” and
“con.”
Advertising
39. II.) Monopolistic Competition Welfare Analysis
So far, we have studied three market structures:
perfect competition, monopoly, and
monopolistic competition. In each of these,
would you expect to see firms spending
money to advertise their products? Why or
why not?
Is advertising good or bad from society’s
viewpoint? Try to think of at least one “pro” and
“con.”
Advertising
A point for later…
41. II.) Monopolistic Competition
Product differentiation Slightly different from
competing firms, but it may
have close substitutes
Even though firms are selling
different products there is still
highly competitive forces on
firms and the decisions they
make.
Many firms with
weak barriers to
entry
42. P
Q QQ1
P1
P
Long RunShort Run
MC
ATC
MR
D
MC
ATC
MR
D1
Abnormal profit - YES
Productively - NO
Efficient
(Q = min ATC )
Allocatively - NO
Efficient ( P = MC )
Abnormal profit - NO
Productively - NO
Efficient
(Q = min ATC )
Allocatively - NO
Efficient ( P = MC )
43. II.) Monopolistic Competition Welfare Analysis
Why Monopolistic Competition Is Less Efficient than Perfect Competition
Excess
capacity
Markup over
marginal cost
monopolistic competitor operates on
the downward-sloping part of its ATC
curve, produces less than the cost-
minimizing output..
Under perfect competition, firms produce the
quantity that minimizes ATC.
Under monopolistic competition, P >
MC.
Under perfect competition, P = MC.
44. II.) Monopolistic Competition
A Summary…A Summary…
A monopolistically competitive market hasA monopolistically competitive market has
many firms, differentiated products, and free entry.many firms, differentiated products, and free entry.
Each firm in a monopolistically competitive marketEach firm in a monopolistically competitive market
has excess capacity – produces less than thehas excess capacity – produces less than the
quantity that minimizesquantity that minimizes ATCATC. Each firm charges a. Each firm charges a
price above marginal cost.price above marginal cost.
45. II.) Monopolistic Competition
A Summary…A Summary…
Monopolistic competition does not have all of theMonopolistic competition does not have all of the
desirable welfare properties of perfect competition.desirable welfare properties of perfect competition.
There is a deadweight loss caused by the markupThere is a deadweight loss caused by the markup
of price over marginal cost. Also, the number ofof price over marginal cost. Also, the number of
firms (and thus varieties) can be too large or toofirms (and thus varieties) can be too large or too
small. There is no clear way for policymakers tosmall. There is no clear way for policymakers to
improve the market outcome.improve the market outcome.
46. II.) Monopolistic Competition
A Summary but a part not explained in thisA Summary but a part not explained in this
PPT…PPT…
Product differentiation and markup pricing lead toProduct differentiation and markup pricing lead to
the use of advertising and brand names. Critics ofthe use of advertising and brand names. Critics of
advertising and brand names argue that firms useadvertising and brand names argue that firms use
them to reduce competition and take advantage ofthem to reduce competition and take advantage of
consumer irrationality. Defenders argue that firmsconsumer irrationality. Defenders argue that firms
use them to inform consumers and to competeuse them to inform consumers and to compete
more vigorously on price and product quality.more vigorously on price and product quality.
In the preceding two chapters, we studied the two extremes of the competition spectrum. This chapter focuses on monopolistic competition, one of the market structures in between the two extremes.
Examples of each market type:
Perfect competition: wheat, milk
Monopoly: tap water, cable TV
Oligopoly: tennis balls, cigarettes
Monopolistic competition: novels, movies
Product differentiation is the heart of the space between monopoly and competition. An old ice-cream on the beach analogy really nails down the idea of product differentiation and explains how monopolistic competition fills the space between monopoly and perfect competition. Draw a line on the blackboard and label the two ends A and B. Tell the students that the line represents a long beach along which beachgoers are uniformly spaced. An ice-cream vendor decides to set up shop on the beach—the only one. Where will she locate? The students will quickly see that the center—midway between A and B is the spot that will get most customers because the cost of an ice-cream is the market price plus the walking time to get it (remind them that the beach is very long!) Now a second ice-cream vendor opens up. Where does he locate? With a bit of help, the students will see that the best spot is right next to the first one. With one producer, there is monopoly and no variety—no product differentiation. With two producers, there is still no differentiation— technically, there is minimum differentiation. Now suppose a third and fourth ice-cream vendor come along. Where do they locate? At the ends of the beach at A and B. They differentiate as much as possible from each other and from the first two. Further entry has new ice-cream vendors locating in the middle of the gaps between the existing ones, always going into the widest gap. If the market could stand the competition, eventually, there would be ice-cream vendors so close to each other all along the beach that the members of any adjacent group were indistinguishable to a customer. Product differentiation would have been pushed to the point that there is no “space” for additional variety and the market would look like perfect competition.
Real products are like the beach example. Talk about sports shoes, breakfast cereals, and any other goods that interest you and for which there are good locally observable examples and encourage the students to see that they are like the beach example. The variety of products fill the available variety “space.”
Product differentiation is the heart of the space between monopoly and competition. An old ice-cream on the beach analogy really nails down the idea of product differentiation and explains how monopolistic competition fills the space between monopoly and perfect competition. Draw a line on the blackboard and label the two ends A and B. Tell the students that the line represents a long beach along which beachgoers are uniformly spaced. An ice-cream vendor decides to set up shop on the beach—the only one. Where will she locate? The students will quickly see that the center—midway between A and B is the spot that will get most customers because the cost of an ice-cream is the market price plus the walking time to get it (remind them that the beach is very long!) Now a second ice-cream vendor opens up. Where does he locate? With a bit of help, the students will see that the best spot is right next to the first one. With one producer, there is monopoly and no variety—no product differentiation. With two producers, there is still no differentiation— technically, there is minimum differentiation. Now suppose a third and fourth ice-cream vendor come along. Where do they locate? At the ends of the beach at A and B. They differentiate as much as possible from each other and from the first two. Further entry has new ice-cream vendors locating in the middle of the gaps between the existing ones, always going into the widest gap. If the market could stand the competition, eventually, there would be ice-cream vendors so close to each other all along the beach that the members of any adjacent group were indistinguishable to a customer. Product differentiation would have been pushed to the point that there is no “space” for additional variety and the market would look like perfect competition.
Real products are like the beach example. Talk about sports shoes, breakfast cereals, and any other goods that interest you and for which there are good locally observable examples and encourage the students to see that they are like the beach example. The variety of products fill the available variety “space.”
Product differentiation is the heart of the space between monopoly and competition. An old ice-cream on the beach analogy really nails down the idea of product differentiation and explains how monopolistic competition fills the space between monopoly and perfect competition. Draw a line on the blackboard and label the two ends A and B. Tell the students that the line represents a long beach along which beachgoers are uniformly spaced. An ice-cream vendor decides to set up shop on the beach—the only one. Where will she locate? The students will quickly see that the center—midway between A and B is the spot that will get most customers because the cost of an ice-cream is the market price plus the walking time to get it (remind them that the beach is very long!) Now a second ice-cream vendor opens up. Where does he locate? With a bit of help, the students will see that the best spot is right next to the first one. With one producer, there is monopoly and no variety—no product differentiation. With two producers, there is still no differentiation— technically, there is minimum differentiation. Now suppose a third and fourth ice-cream vendor come along. Where do they locate? At the ends of the beach at A and B. They differentiate as much as possible from each other and from the first two. Further entry has new ice-cream vendors locating in the middle of the gaps between the existing ones, always going into the widest gap. If the market could stand the competition, eventually, there would be ice-cream vendors so close to each other all along the beach that the members of any adjacent group were indistinguishable to a customer. Product differentiation would have been pushed to the point that there is no “space” for additional variety and the market would look like perfect competition.
Real products are like the beach example. Talk about sports shoes, breakfast cereals, and any other goods that interest you and for which there are good locally observable examples and encourage the students to see that they are like the beach example. The variety of products fill the available variety “space.”
Product differentiation is the heart of the space between monopoly and competition. An old ice-cream on the beach analogy really nails down the idea of product differentiation and explains how monopolistic competition fills the space between monopoly and perfect competition. Draw a line on the blackboard and label the two ends A and B. Tell the students that the line represents a long beach along which beachgoers are uniformly spaced. An ice-cream vendor decides to set up shop on the beach—the only one. Where will she locate? The students will quickly see that the center—midway between A and B is the spot that will get most customers because the cost of an ice-cream is the market price plus the walking time to get it (remind them that the beach is very long!) Now a second ice-cream vendor opens up. Where does he locate? With a bit of help, the students will see that the best spot is right next to the first one. With one producer, there is monopoly and no variety—no product differentiation. With two producers, there is still no differentiation— technically, there is minimum differentiation. Now suppose a third and fourth ice-cream vendor come along. Where do they locate? At the ends of the beach at A and B. They differentiate as much as possible from each other and from the first two. Further entry has new ice-cream vendors locating in the middle of the gaps between the existing ones, always going into the widest gap. If the market could stand the competition, eventually, there would be ice-cream vendors so close to each other all along the beach that the members of any adjacent group were indistinguishable to a customer. Product differentiation would have been pushed to the point that there is no “space” for additional variety and the market would look like perfect competition.
Real products are like the beach example. Talk about sports shoes, breakfast cereals, and any other goods that interest you and for which there are good locally observable examples and encourage the students to see that they are like the beach example. The variety of products fill the available variety “space.”
Product differentiation is the heart of the space between monopoly and competition. An old ice-cream on the beach analogy really nails down the idea of product differentiation and explains how monopolistic competition fills the space between monopoly and perfect competition. Draw a line on the blackboard and label the two ends A and B. Tell the students that the line represents a long beach along which beachgoers are uniformly spaced. An ice-cream vendor decides to set up shop on the beach—the only one. Where will she locate? The students will quickly see that the center—midway between A and B is the spot that will get most customers because the cost of an ice-cream is the market price plus the walking time to get it (remind them that the beach is very long!) Now a second ice-cream vendor opens up. Where does he locate? With a bit of help, the students will see that the best spot is right next to the first one. With one producer, there is monopoly and no variety—no product differentiation. With two producers, there is still no differentiation— technically, there is minimum differentiation. Now suppose a third and fourth ice-cream vendor come along. Where do they locate? At the ends of the beach at A and B. They differentiate as much as possible from each other and from the first two. Further entry has new ice-cream vendors locating in the middle of the gaps between the existing ones, always going into the widest gap. If the market could stand the competition, eventually, there would be ice-cream vendors so close to each other all along the beach that the members of any adjacent group were indistinguishable to a customer. Product differentiation would have been pushed to the point that there is no “space” for additional variety and the market would look like perfect competition.
Real products are like the beach example. Talk about sports shoes, breakfast cereals, and any other goods that interest you and for which there are good locally observable examples and encourage the students to see that they are like the beach example. The variety of products fill the available variety “space.”
One of these externalities is positive, the other is negative. It’s not clear which one is bigger, and it may in fact differ by industry.
One of these externalities is positive, the other is negative. It’s not clear which one is bigger, and it may in fact differ by industry.
One of these externalities is positive, the other is negative. It’s not clear which one is bigger, and it may in fact differ by industry.
Product differentiation is the heart of the space between monopoly and competition. An old ice-cream on the beach analogy really nails down the idea of product differentiation and explains how monopolistic competition fills the space between monopoly and perfect competition. Draw a line on the blackboard and label the two ends A and B. Tell the students that the line represents a long beach along which beachgoers are uniformly spaced. An ice-cream vendor decides to set up shop on the beach—the only one. Where will she locate? The students will quickly see that the center—midway between A and B is the spot that will get most customers because the cost of an ice-cream is the market price plus the walking time to get it (remind them that the beach is very long!) Now a second ice-cream vendor opens up. Where does he locate? With a bit of help, the students will see that the best spot is right next to the first one. With one producer, there is monopoly and no variety—no product differentiation. With two producers, there is still no differentiation— technically, there is minimum differentiation. Now suppose a third and fourth ice-cream vendor come along. Where do they locate? At the ends of the beach at A and B. They differentiate as much as possible from each other and from the first two. Further entry has new ice-cream vendors locating in the middle of the gaps between the existing ones, always going into the widest gap. If the market could stand the competition, eventually, there would be ice-cream vendors so close to each other all along the beach that the members of any adjacent group were indistinguishable to a customer. Product differentiation would have been pushed to the point that there is no “space” for additional variety and the market would look like perfect competition.
Real products are like the beach example. Talk about sports shoes, breakfast cereals, and any other goods that interest you and for which there are good locally observable examples and encourage the students to see that they are like the beach example. The variety of products fill the available variety “space.”