A Primer on Profit Maximization
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Load more
Recommended publications
-
Microeconomics Exam Review Chapters 8 Through 12, 16, 17 and 19
MICROECONOMICS EXAM REVIEW CHAPTERS 8 THROUGH 12, 16, 17 AND 19 Key Terms and Concepts to Know CHAPTER 8 - PERFECT COMPETITION I. An Introduction to Perfect Competition A. Perfectly Competitive Market Structure: • Has many buyers and sellers. • Sells a commodity or standardized product. • Has buyers and sellers who are fully informed. • Has firms and resources that are freely mobile. • Perfectly competitive firm is a price taker; one firm has no control over price. B. Demand Under Perfect Competition: Horizontal line at the market price II. Short-Run Profit Maximization A. Total Revenue Minus Total Cost: The firm maximizes economic profit by finding the quantity at which total revenue exceeds total cost by the greatest amount. B. Marginal Revenue Equals Marginal Cost in Equilibrium • Marginal Revenue: The change in total revenue from selling another unit of output: • MR = ΔTR/Δq • In perfect competition, marginal revenue equals market price. • Market price = Marginal revenue = Average revenue • The firm increases output as long as marginal revenue exceeds marginal cost. • Golden rule of profit maximization. The firm maximizes profit by producing where marginal cost equals marginal revenue. C. Economic Profit in Short-Run: Because the marginal revenue curve is horizontal at the market price, it is also the firm’s demand curve. The firm can sell any quantity at this price. III. Minimizing Short-Run Losses The short run is defined as a period too short to allow existing firms to leave the industry. The following is a summary of short-run behavior: A. Fixed Costs and Minimizing Losses: If a firm shuts down, it must still pay fixed costs. -
Labor Demand: First Lecture
Labor Market Equilibrium: Fourth Lecture LABOR ECONOMICS (ECON 385) BEN VAN KAMMEN, PHD Extension: the minimum wage revisited •Here we reexamine the effect of the minimum wage in a non-competitive market. Specifically the effect is different if the market is characterized by a monopsony—a single buyer of a good. •Consider the supply curve for a labor market as before. Also consider the downward-sloping VMPL curve that represents the labor demand of a single firm. • But now instead of multiple competitive employers, this market has only a single firm that employs workers. • The effect of this on labor demand for the monopsony firm is that wage is not a constant value set exogenously by the competitive market. The wage now depends directly (and positively) on the amount of labor employed by this firm. , = , where ( ) is the market supply curve facing the monopsonist. Π ∗ − ∗ − Monopsony hiring • And now when the monopsonist considers how much labor to supply, it has to choose a wage that will attract the marginal worker. This wage is determined by the supply curve. • The usual profit maximization condition—with a linear supply curve, for simplicity—yields: = + = 0 Π where the last term in parentheses is the slope ∗ of the −labor supply curve. When it is linear, the slope is constant (b), and the entire set of parentheses contains the marginal cost of hiring labor. The condition, as usual implies that the employer sets marginal benefit ( ) equal to marginal cost; the only difference is that marginal cost is not constant now. Monopsony hiring (continued) •Specifically the marginal cost is a curve lying above the labor supply with twice the slope of the supply curve. -
Managerial Economics Unit 6: Oligopoly
Managerial Economics Unit 6: Oligopoly Rudolf Winter-Ebmer Johannes Kepler University Linz Summer Term 2019 Managerial Economics: Unit 6 - Oligopoly1 / 45 OBJECTIVES Explain how managers of firms that operate in an oligopoly market can use strategic decision-making to maintain relatively high profits Understand how the reactions of market rivals influence the effectiveness of decisions in an oligopoly market Managerial Economics: Unit 6 - Oligopoly2 / 45 Oligopoly A market with a small number of firms (usually big) Oligopolists \know" each other Characterized by interdependence and the need for managers to explicitly consider the reactions of rivals Protected by barriers to entry that result from government, economies of scale, or control of strategically important resources Managerial Economics: Unit 6 - Oligopoly3 / 45 Strategic interaction Actions of one firm will trigger re-actions of others Oligopolist must take these possible re-actions into account before deciding on an action Therefore, no single, unified model of oligopoly exists I Cartel I Price leadership I Bertrand competition I Cournot competition Managerial Economics: Unit 6 - Oligopoly4 / 45 COOPERATIVE BEHAVIOR: Cartel Cartel: A collusive arrangement made openly and formally I Cartels, and collusion in general, are illegal in the US and EU. I Cartels maximize profit by restricting the output of member firms to a level that the marginal cost of production of every firm in the cartel is equal to the market's marginal revenue and then charging the market-clearing price. F Behave like a monopoly I The need to allocate output among member firms results in an incentive for the firms to cheat by overproducing and thereby increase profit. -
Monopoly Monopoly Causes of Monopolies Profit Maximization
Monopoly • market with a single seller • Firm demand = market demand Monopoly • Firm demand is downward sloping • Monopolist can alter market price by adjusting its ECON 370: Microeconomic Theory own output level Summer 2004 – Rice University Stanley Gilbert Econ 370 - Monopoly 2 Causes of Monopolies Profit Maximization •Created by law ⇒ US Postal Service • We assume profit maximization • a patent ⇒ a new drug • Earlier we noted – profit maximization • sole ownership of a resource ⇒ a toll highway ⇒ – Marginal Revenue = Marginal Cost • formation of a cartel ⇒ OPEC • With monopolies, that is the relevant test • large economies of scale ⇒ local utility company (natural monopoly) Econ 370 - Monopoly 3 Econ 370 - Monopoly 4 1 Mathematically Significance dp(y) dc(y) p()y + y = π ()y = p ()y y − c ()y dy dy At profit-maximizing output y*: • Since demand is downward sloping: dp/dy < 0 – So a monopoly supplies less than a competitive market dπ ()y d dc(y) would = ()p()y y − = 0 – At a higher price dy dy dy • MR < Price because to sell the next unit of output it has to lower its price on all its product dp()y dc(y) p()y + y = – Not just on the last unit dy dy – Thus further reducing revenue Econ 370 - Monopoly 5 Econ 370 - Monopoly 6 Linear Demand Linear Demand Graph • If demand is q(p) = f – gp • Then the inverse demand function is p – p = f / g – q / g –Let a = f / g, and a –Let b = 1 / g – Then p = a – bq p(y) = a – by • Since output y = demand q, the revenue function is – p(y)·y = (a – by)y = ay – by2 y • Marginal Revenue is a / 2b a / b –MR -
1 Objective 2 Examples of Cost Functions
BEE1020 { Basic Mathematical Economics Dieter Balkenborg Week 8, Lecture Thursday 28.11.02 Department of Economics Increasing and convex functions University of Exeter 1Objective The ¯rst and the second derivative of a function contain important qualitative information about the graph of a function. The ¯rst derivative of a function measures the steepness of its graph. The second derivative (the derivative of the derivative) measures how \curved" the graph is. We illustrate this and discuss for cost functions what it means in economic terms. 2 Examples of cost functions A function describes how one quantity changes in response to another quantity. An ex- ample is the total cost function of a ¯rm. Consider, for instance, a publisher selling a particular newspaper. His production costs depend on the number of newspapers he prints. This information { together with information on the demand side { will be im- portant if the publisher tries to make a pro¯t out of his business. There are three ways to describe the relation between production costs and the number of newspapers produced: 1. by a table, 2. by a graph, 3. using an algebraic expression to describe the relationship. Here are three examples of types of cost functions frequently used in microeconomics. 2.1 Example 1: Constant marginal costs In tabular form: quantity (in 100.000) 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 total costs (in 1000$) 90 110 130 150 170 190 210 230 With the aid of a graph: 220 200 180 160 140 TC120 100 80 60 40 20 0 1234567Q In algebraic form: TC(Q)=90+20Q 2.2 Example 2: Increasing -
Product Differentiation and Economic Progress
THE QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF AUSTRIAN ECONOMICS 12, NO. 1 (2009): 17–35 PRODUCT DIFFERENTIATION AND ECONOMIC PROGRESS RANDALL G. HOLCOMBE ABSTRACT: In neoclassical theory, product differentiation provides consumers with a variety of different products within a particular industry, rather than a homogeneous product that characterizes purely competitive markets. The welfare-enhancing benefit of product differentiation is the greater variety of products available to consumers, which comes at the cost of a higher average total cost of production. In reality, firms do not differentiate their products to make them different, or to give consumers variety, but to make them better, so consumers would rather buy that firm’s product rather than the product of a competitor. When product differentiation is seen as a strategy to improve products rather than just to make them different, product differentiation emerges as the engine of economic progress. In contrast to the neoclassical framework, where product differentiation imposes a cost on the economy in exchange for more product variety, in real- ity product differentiation lowers costs, creates better products for consumers, and generates economic progress. n the neoclassical theory of the firm, product differentiation enhances consumer welfare by offering consumers greater variety, Ibut that benefit is offset by the higher average cost of production for monopolistically competitive firms. In the neoclassical framework, the only benefit of product differentiation is the greater variety of prod- ucts available, but the reason firms differentiate their products is not just to make them different from the products of other firms, but to make them better. By improving product quality and bringing new Randall G. -
Profit Maximization and Cost Minimization ● Average and Marginal Costs
Theory of the Firm Moshe Ben-Akiva 1.201 / 11.545 / ESD.210 Transportation Systems Analysis: Demand & Economics Fall 2008 Outline ● Basic Concepts ● Production functions ● Profit maximization and cost minimization ● Average and marginal costs 2 Basic Concepts ● Describe behavior of a firm ● Objective: maximize profit max π = R(a ) − C(a ) s.t . a ≥ 0 – R, C, a – revenue, cost, and activities, respectively ● Decisions: amount & price of inputs to buy amount & price of outputs to produce ● Constraints: technology constraints market constraints 3 Production Function ● Technology: method for turning inputs (including raw materials, labor, capital, such as vehicles, drivers, terminals) into outputs (such as trips) ● Production function: description of the technology of the firm. Maximum output produced from given inputs. q = q(X ) – q – vector of outputs – X – vector of inputs (capital, labor, raw material) 4 Using a Production Function ● The production function predicts what resources are needed to provide different levels of output ● Given prices of the inputs, we can find the most efficient (i.e. minimum cost) way to produce a given level of output 5 Isoquant ● For two-input production: Capital (K) q=q(K,L) K’ q3 q2 q1 Labor (L) L’ 6 Production Function: Examples ● Cobb-Douglas : ● Input-Output: = α a b = q x1 x2 q min( ax1 ,bx2 ) x2 x2 Isoquants q2 q2 q1 q1 x1 x1 7 Rate of Technical Substitution (RTS) ● Substitution rates for inputs – Replace a unit of input 1 with RTS units of input 2 keeping the same level of production x2 ∂x ∂q ∂x RTS -
Lecture 16: Profit Maximization and Long-Run Competition
Lecture 16: Profit Maximization and Long-Run Competition Session ID: DDEE EC101 DD & EE / Manove Profits and Long Run Competition p 1 EC101 DD & EE / Manove Clicker Question p 2 Cost, Revenue and Profits Total Cost (TC): TC = FC + VC Average Cost (AC): AC = TC / Q Sometimes called Average Total Cost (ATC) Profits: = Total Revenue − Total Cost = (P x Q) − TC = (P x Q) − AC x Q = (P − AC) Q Producer surplus is the same as profits before fixed costs are deducted. =(P x Q) − VC − FC =PS− FC EC101 DD & EE / Manove Producer Costs>Cost Concepts p 3 A Small Firm in a Competitive Market The equilibrium price P* is determined by the entire market. If all of the other firms charge P* and produce total output Q0, then … Market Last Small Firm P S P D P* P* Q* = Q0 + QF D Q Q Q Q0 0 QF for the last small firm, the remaining demand near the market price seems very large and very elastic. The last firm’s supply determines its own equilibrium quantity: it will also charge the market price (and be a price-taker). EC101 DD & EE / Manove Perfect Competition>Small Firm p 4 Supply Shifts in a Competitive Market Suppose Farmer Jones discovers that hip-hop music increases his hens’ output of eggs. Then his supply curve would shift to the right. But his price wouldn’t change. EC101 DD & EE / Manove Perfect Competition>Small Firm>Supply Shift p 5 How does the shift of his supply curve affect Farmer Jones? P P S S S’ P* D D Q Q Market Farmer Jones Farmer Jones’ supply shifts to the right, but his equilibrium price remains the same. -
Report No. 2020-06 Economies of Scale in Community Banks
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Staff Studies Report No. 2020-06 Economies of Scale in Community Banks December 2020 Staff Studies Staff www.fdic.gov/cfr • @FDICgov • #FDICCFR • #FDICResearch Economies of Scale in Community Banks Stefan Jacewitz, Troy Kravitz, and George Shoukry December 2020 Abstract: Using financial and supervisory data from the past 20 years, we show that scale economies in community banks with less than $10 billion in assets emerged during the run-up to the 2008 financial crisis due to declines in interest expenses and provisions for losses on loans and leases at larger banks. The financial crisis temporarily interrupted this trend and costs increased industry-wide, but a generally more cost-efficient industry re-emerged, returning in recent years to pre-crisis trends. We estimate that from 2000 to 2019, the cost-minimizing size of a bank’s loan portfolio rose from approximately $350 million to $3.3 billion. Though descriptive, our results suggest efficiency gains accrue early as a bank grows from $10 million in loans to $3.3 billion, with 90 percent of the potential efficiency gains occurring by $300 million. JEL classification: G21, G28, L00. The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official positions of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or the United States. FDIC Staff Studies can be cited without additional permission. The authors wish to thank Noam Weintraub for research assistance and seminar participants for helpful comments. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, [email protected], 550 17th St. NW, Washington, DC 20429 Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, [email protected], 550 17th St. -
Working Paper No
Department of Economics Natural or Unnatural Monopolies in UK Telecommunications? Lisa Correa Working Paper No. 501 September 2003 ISSN 1473-0278 Natural or Unnatural Monopolies In UK ∗ Telecommunications? ≅ Lisa Correa September 2003 ABSTRACT This paper analyses whether scale economies exists in the UK telecommunications industry. The approach employed differs from other UK studies in that panel data for a range of companies is used. This increases the number of observations and thus allows potentially for more robust tests for global subadditivity of the cost function. The main findings from the study reveal that although the results need to be treated with some caution allowing/encouraging infrastructure competition in the local loop may result in substantial cost savings. JEL Classification Numbers: D42, L11, L12, L51, L96, Keywords: Telecommunications, Regulation, Monopoly, Cost Functions, Scale Economies, Subadditivity ∗ The author is indebted to Richard Allard and Paul Belleflamme for their encouragement and advice. She would however also like to thank Richard Green and Leonard Waverman for their insightful comments and recommendations on an earlier version of this paper. All views expressed in the paper and any remaining errors are solely the responsibility of the author. ≅ Department of Economics, Queen Mary, University of London (UK). Preferred e- mail address for comments is [email protected] 1 Natural or Unnatural Monopolies in U.K. Telecommunications? 1. Introduction The UK has historically pursued a policy of infrastructure or local loop competition in the telecommunications market with the aim of delivering dynamic competition, the key focus of which is innovation. Recently, however, Directives from Europe have been issued which could be argued discourages competition in the local loop. -
Microeconomic Theory
PROFIT MAXIMIZATION [See Chap 11] 1 Profit Maximization • A profit-maximizing firm chooses both its inputs and its outputs with the goal of achieving maximum economic profits 2 Model • Firm has inputs (z1,z2). Prices (r1,r2). – Price taker on input market. • Firm has output q=f(z1,z2). Price p. – Price taker in output market. • Firm’s problem: – Choose output q and inputs (z1,z2) to maximise profits. Where: = pq - r1z1 – r2z2 3 One-Step Solution • Choose (z1,z2) to maximise = pf(z1,z2) - r1z1 – r2z2 • This is unconstrained maximization problem. • FOCs are f (z1, z2 ) f (z1, z2 ) p r1 and p r2 z1 z2 • Together these yield optimal inputs zi*(p,r1,r2). • Output is q*(p,r1,r2) = f(z1*, z2*). This is usually called the supply function. • Profit is (p,r1,r2) = pq* - r1z1* - r2z2* 4 1/3 1/3 Example: f(z1,z2)=z1 z2 1/3 1/3 • Profit is = pz1 z2 - r1z1 – r2z2 • FOCs are 1 1 pz 2/3z1/3 r and pz1/3z2/3 r 3 1 2 1 3 1 2 2 • Solving these two eqns, optimal inputs are 3 3 * 1 p * 1 p z1 ( p,r1,r2 ) 2 and z2 ( p,r1,r2 ) 2 27 r1 r2 27 r1r2 • Optimal output 2 * * 1/3 * 1/3 1 p q ( p,r1,r2 ) (z1 ) (z2 ) 9 r1r2 • Profits 3 * * * * 1 p ( p,r1,r2 ) pq r1z1 r2 z2 27 r1r2 5 Two-Step Solution Step 1: Find cheapest way to obtain output q. c(r1,r2,q) = minz1,z2 r1z1+r2z2 s.t f(z1,z2) ≥ q Step 2: Find profit maximizing output. -
Principles of Microeconomics
PRINCIPLES OF MICROECONOMICS A. Competition The basic motivation to produce in a market economy is the expectation of income, which will generate profits. • The returns to the efforts of a business - the difference between its total revenues and its total costs - are profits. Thus, questions of revenues and costs are key in an analysis of the profit motive. • Other motivations include nonprofit incentives such as social status, the need to feel important, the desire for recognition, and the retaining of one's job. Economists' calculations of profits are different from those used by businesses in their accounting systems. Economic profit = total revenue - total economic cost • Total economic cost includes the value of all inputs used in production. • Normal profit is an economic cost since it occurs when economic profit is zero. It represents the opportunity cost of labor and capital contributed to the production process by the producer. • Accounting profits are computed only on the basis of explicit costs, including labor and capital. Since they do not take "normal profits" into consideration, they overstate true profits. Economic profits reward entrepreneurship. They are a payment to discovering new and better methods of production, taking above-average risks, and producing something that society desires. The ability of each firm to generate profits is limited by the structure of the industry in which the firm is engaged. The firms in a competitive market are price takers. • None has any market power - the ability to control the market price of the product it sells. • A firm's individual supply curve is a very small - and inconsequential - part of market supply.