Market Power: Monopoly

1. Market Power: Monopoly

2. Topics to be Discussed • Monopoly • Monopoly Power • Sources of Monopoly Power • The Social Costs of Monopoly Power Chapter 10

3. Topics to be Discussed • Monopsony • Monopsony Power • Limiting Market Power: The Antitrust Laws Chapter 10

4. Perfect Competition • Review of Perfect Competition • P = LMC = LRAC • Normal profits or zero economic profits in the long run • Large number of buyers and sellers • Homogenous product • Perfect information • Firm is a price taker Chapter 10

5. D S LMC LRAC P0 P0 D = MR = P q0 Q0 Perfect Competition Market Individual Firm P P Q Q

6. Monopoly • Monopoly 1) One seller - many buyers 2) One product (no good substitutes) 3) Barriers to entry Chapter 10

7. Monopoly • The monopolist is the supply-side of the market and has complete control over the amount offered for sale. • Profits will be maximized at the level of output where marginal revenue equals marginal cost. Chapter 10

8. Monopoly • Finding Marginal Revenue • As the sole producer, the monopolist works with the market demand to determine output and price. • Assume a firm with demand: • P = 6 - Q Chapter 10

9. Total, Marginal, and Average Revenue Total Marginal Average Price Quantity Revenue Revenue Revenue P Q R MR AR $6 0 $0 --- --- 5 1 5 $5 $5 4 2 8 3 4 3 3 9 1 3 2 4 8 -1 2 1 5 5 -3 1 Chapter 10

10. Average Revenue (Demand) Marginal Revenue Average and Marginal Revenue $ per unit of output 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Output 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Chapter 10

11. Monopoly • Observations 1) To increase sales the price must fall 2) MR < P 3) Compared to perfect competition • No change in price to change sales • MR = P Chapter 10

12. Monopoly • Monopolist’s Output Decision 1) Profits maximized at the output level where MR = MC 2) Cost functions are the same Chapter 10

13. Maximizing Profit When Marginal Revenue Equals Marginal Cost The Monopolist’s Output Decision • At output levels below MR = MC the decrease in revenue is greater than the decrease in cost (MR > MC). • At output levels above MR = MC the increase in cost is greater than the decrease in revenue (MR < MC) Chapter 10

14. MC P1 P* AC P2 Lost profit D = AR Lost profit MR Q1 Q* Q2 Maximizing Profit When Marginal Revenue Equals Marginal Cost $ per unit of output Quantity Chapter 10

15. Monopoly The Monopolist’s Output Decision • An Example Chapter 10

16. Monopoly The Monopolist’s Output Decision • An Example Chapter 10

17. Monopoly The Monopolist’s Output Decision • An Example Chapter 10

18. Monopoly The Monopolist’s Output Decision • An Example • By setting marginal revenue equal to marginal cost, it can be verified that profit is maximized at P = $30 and Q = 10. • This can be seen graphically: Chapter 10

19. C t' R c’ t Profits c Example of Profit Maximization $ 400 300 200 150 100 50 Quantity 0 5 10 15 20 Chapter 10

20. C $ t' R 400 300 c t 200 150 Profits 100 50 c 0 5 10 15 20 Quantity Example of Profit Maximization • Observations • Slope of rr’ = slope cc’ and they are parallel at 10 units • Profits are maximized at 10 units • P = $30, Q = 10, TR = P x Q = $300 • AC = $15, Q = 10, TC = AC x Q = 150 • Profit = TR - TC • $150 = $300 - $150 Chapter 10

21. MC AC Profit AR MR Example of Profit Maximization $/Q 40 30 20 15 10 0 5 10 15 20 Quantity Chapter 10

22. $/Q 40 MC 30 AC Profit 20 AR 15 MR 10 0 5 10 15 20 Quantity Example of Profit Maximization • Observations • AC = $15, Q = 10, TC = AC x Q = 150 • Profit = TR = TC = $300 - $150 = $150 or • Profit = (P - AC) x Q = ($30 - $15)(10) = $150 Chapter 10

23. Monopoly • A Rule of Thumb for Pricing • We want to translate the condition that marginal revenue should equal marginal cost into a rule of thumb that can be more easily applied in practice. • This can be demonstrated using the following steps: Chapter 10

24. A Rule of Thumb for Pricing Chapter 10

25. A Rule of Thumb for Pricing Chapter 10

26. A Rule of Thumb for Pricing Chapter 10

27. A Rule of Thumb for Pricing = the markup over MC as a percentage of price (P-MC)/P 8. The markup should equal the inverse of the elasticity of demand. Chapter 10

28. A Rule of Thumb for Pricing Chapter 10

29. Monopoly • The Multiplant Firm • For many firms, production takes place in two or more different plants whose operating cost can differ. Chapter 10

30. Monopoly • The Multiplant Firm • Choosing total output and the output for each plant: • The marginal cost in each plant should be equal. • The marginal cost should equal the marginal revenue for each plant. Chapter 10

31. Monopoly The Multiplant Firm • Algebraically: Chapter 10

32. Monopoly The Multiplant Firm • Algebraically: Chapter 10

33. Monopoly The Multiplant Firm • Algebraically: Chapter 10

34. Monopoly • Algebraically: Chapter 10

35. MC1 MC2 MCT P* D = AR MR* MR Q1 Q2 Q3 Production with Two Plants $/Q Quantity Chapter 10

36. Observations: 1) MCT = MC1 + MC2 2) Profit maximizing output: MCT = MR at QT and P * MR = MR* MR* = MC1 at Q1, MC* = MC2 at Q2 MC1 + MC2 = MCT, Q1 + Q2 = QT, and MR = MC1 + MC2 Production with Two Plants $/Q MC1 MC2 MCT P* D = AR MR* MR Q1 Q2 Q3 Quantity Chapter 10

37. Monopoly Power • Monopoly is rare. • However, a market with several firms, each facing a downward sloping demand curve will produce so that price exceeds marginal cost. Chapter 10

38. Monopoly Power • Scenario: • Four firms with equal share (5,000) of a market for 20,000 toothbrushes at a price of $1.50. Chapter 10

39. Monopoly Power • Measuring Monopoly Power • In perfect competition: P = MR = MC • Monopoly power: P > MC Chapter 10

40. Monopoly Power • Lerner’s Index of Monopoly Power • L = (P - MC)/P • The larger the value of L (between 0 and 1) the greater the monopoly power. • L is expressed in terms of Ed • L = (P - MC)/P = -1/Ed • Ed is elasticity of demand for a firm, not the market Chapter 10

41. Monopoly Power • Monopoly power does not guarantee profits. • Profit depends on average cost relative to price. • Question: • Can you identify any difficulties in using the Lerner Index (L) for public policy? Chapter 10

42. Monopoly Power • The Rule of Thumb for Pricing • Pricing for any firm with monopoly power • If Ed is large, markup is small • If Edis small, markup is large Chapter 10

43. The more elastic is demand, the less the markup. P* MC MC P* AR P*-MC MR AR MR Q* Q* Elasticity of Demand and Price Markup $/Q $/Q Quantity Quantity

44. Markup Pricing:Supermarkets to Designer Jeans • Supermarkets Chapter 10

45. Markup Pricing:Supermarkets to Designer Jeans • Convenience Stores Chapter 10

46. Markup Pricing:Supermarkets to Designer Jeans Convenience Stores • Convenience stores have more monopoly power. • Question: • Do convenience stores have higher profits than supermarkets? Chapter 10

47. Markup Pricing:Supermarkets to Designer Jeans Designer Jeans • Designer jeans Ed = -3 to -4 • Price 33 - 50% > MC • MC = $12 - $18/pair • Wholesale price = $18 - $27 Chapter 10

48. The Pricing ofPrerecorded Videocassettes 1985 1999 Title Retail Price($) Title Retail Price($) Purple Rain $29.98 Austin Powers $10.49 Raiders of the Lost Ark 24.95 A Bug’s Life 17.99 Jane Fonda Workout 59.95 There’s Something about Mary 13.99 The Empire Strikes Back 79.98 Tae-Bo Workout 24.47 An Officer and a Gentleman 24.95 Lethal Weapon 4 16.99 Star Trek: The Motion Picture 24.95 Men in Black 12.99 Star Wars 39.98 Armageddon 15.86

49. The Pricing ofPrerecorded Videocassettes • What Do You Think? • Should producers lower the price of videocassettes to increase sales and revenue?

50. Sources of Monopoly Power • Why do some firm’s have considerable monopoly power, and others have little or none? • A firm’s monopoly power is determined by the firm’s elasticity of demand. Chapter 10