Слайд 1MID-TERM REVIEW
Spring, 2014
PAGES 121-180
Слайд 22.3 THEORY OF THE FIRM
INTRODUCTION
Firms
MNC-TNC
Industry
Total profit = TR - TC
Слайд 32.3 THEORY OF THE FIRM
PRODUCTION FUNCTION
Output as a function of
inputs
SHORT RUN AND LONG RUN COSTS
SR: Time period where at
least one factor of production is fixed
LR: All inputs can be changed
Слайд 42.3 THEORY OF THE FIRM
LAW OF DIMINISHING RETURNS
If some inputs
are increased whilst at least one other input remains fixed
then, whilst the extra output produced by each extra unit of input may at first increase it will reach a point where it will diminish
Example: Clear the dinner table
Слайд 52.3 THEORY OF THE FIRM
LAW OF DIMINISHING RETURNS
Point of diminishing
marginal returns – the marginal output of each extra worker
decreases as each worker has less and less input to work with effectively
Average Output and Marginal Output-GRAPH
Law of Diminishing returns only in the short run
Слайд 62.3 THEORY OF THE FIRM
SHORT RUN COSTS
Fixed and variable costs
TC
= FC + VC
AVERAGE COSTS AND MARGINAL COSTS
ATC = AFC
+ AVC
MC = TCn – TCn-1
Слайд 72.3 THEORY OF THE FIRM
AVERAGE VARIABLE COSTS
GRAPH – Law of
Diminishing Returns
GRAPH – MP, AP, MC, AVC (p. 130)
REVENUE
TR =
p x q
Слайд 82.3 THEORY OF THE FIRM
PROFIT
Economic profit: TR – TC
Accounting Profit:
TR – Accounting Costs
Accounting Costs: Money value costs (raw materials,
energy, rent, interest and wages)
Normal profit: profit needed to cover opportunity cost
Super normal (abnormal) profit: extra profit
Слайд 92.3 THEORY OF THE FIRM
PROFIT MAXIMIZING EQUILIBRIUM
MR = MC (level
of output, q)
Quantity to be produced
MR > MC, expand output
MR
< MC, contract output
Слайд 102.3 THEORY OF THE FIRM
LONG RUN OUTPUT – RETURNS TO
SCALE (Graph)
Increasing returns to scale
Input increases, output increases more than
proportionately
Constant returns to scale
Input increases, output increases proportionately
Decreasing returns to scale
Input increases, output increases less than proportionately
Слайд 112.3 THEORY OF THE FIRM
LONG RUN OUTPUT – RETURNS TO
SCALE
Sources of Increasing Returns to Scale
Technical Economies
Managerial Economies
Purchasing Economies
Marketing Economies
Financial
Economies
Слайд 122.3 MARKET STRUCTURE
MARKET POWER
The way a firm behaves, that is,
how much output it decides to produce and the price
it sells the product at, depends on the market structure of that product
The main characteristic of market structure is the degree of competition in the market
Слайд 132.3 MARKET STRUCTURE
IMPERFECT COMPETITION
Monopolistic Competition
Oligopoly – Prisoner’s Dilemma
PERFECT COMPETITION
MONOPOLY
Слайд 142.3 MARKET STRUCTURE
PERFECT COMPETITION
Assumptions
Graph
Market vs. Firm
The Firm’s Supply Curve –
GRAPH
Break-Even Price – SR producing at a loss (below ATC)
Shut-Down
Point – Firm will close down (MR = MC = AVC)
Слайд 152.3 MARKET STRUCTURE
EFFICIENCY AND OPTIMAL ALLOCATION
A pure market system is
likely to be both technically and allocatively efficient
Technical or Productive
Efficiency: output is produced with the minimum amount of inputs (ATC at min.)
Allocative Efficiency: suppliers are producing the optimal mix of goods/services required by consumers (P = MC / AR = MC)
Слайд 162.3 MARKET STRUCTURE
MONOPOLY
Assumptions
Graph
Monopoly and Supernormal Profits
Graph
Слайд 172.3 MARKET STRUCTURE
COMPETITION VS. MONOPOLY
When no economies of scale are
gained
Perfect competition industry is taken over by a monopoly
Prices are
higher, quantities are lower and resource allocation is non-optimal
When economies of scale are gained
Consumer is better off under monopoly
Prices are lower, quantities are greater but resource allocation is non-optimal
Слайд 182.3 MARKET STRUCTURE
OLIGOPOLY
Collusive Oligopoly
Non-Collusive Oligopoly
Kinked Demand Curve – GRAPH
Слайд 192.3 MARKET STRUCTURE
THEORY OF CONTESTABLE MARKETS
It argues that it is
the threat of competition rather than actual competition which determines
a firm’s price and output
Exit Costs
Слайд 202.3 MARKET STRUCTURE
MONOPOLISTIC COMPETITION
Assumptions
GRAPH
Слайд 212.3 MARKET STRUCTURE
PRICE DISCRIMINATION
Units of a product which cost the
same to produce are sold at different prices to different
consumers
PRICE DISCRIMINATION
Different prices are charged because there are different costs of production
Слайд 222.3 MARKET STRUCTURE
PRICE DISCRIMINATION
Reasons for Price Discrimination
Necessary conditions for Price
Discrimination
GRAPH
Total revenue and Price Discrimination