-_ Chapter 10: Market Power: Monopoly and Monopsony lose revenue. Only part of this lost revenue is transferred to the buyer as consumer surplus, and the net loss in total surplus is deadweight loss. Even if the consumer surplus could be redistributed to sellers, the deadweight loss persists. This inefficiency will remain because quantity is reduced below the level where price is equal ta marginal cost. 18 How do the antitrust laws limit market power in the United States? Give examples of major provisions of the laws. Antitrust laws, which are subject to interpretation by the courts, limit market power by proseribing a firm's behavior in attempting to maximize profit. Section 1 of the Sherman Act prohibits every restraint of trade, including any attempt to fix prices by buyers or sellers. Section 2 of the Sherman Act prohibits behavior that leads to monopolization. ‘The Clayton Act, with the Robinson-Patman Act, prohibits price discrimination and exclusive dealing (sellers prohibiting buyers from buying goods from other sellers). The Clayton Act also limits mergers when they could substantially lessen competition. The Federal Trade Commission Act makes it illegal to use unfair or deceptive practices. 14, Explain briefly how the U.S. antitrust laws are actually enforced. Antitrust laws are enforced in three ways: (1) through the Antitrust Division of the Justice Department, whenever firms violate federal statutes, (2) through the Federal ‘Trade Commission, whenever firms violate the Federal Trade Commission Act, and (3) through civil suits, ‘The Justice Department can seek to impose fines or jail terms on ‘managers or owners involved or seek to reorganize the firm, as it did in its case against AT&T. The FTC can seek a voluntary understanding to comply with the law or a .al Commission order. Individuals or companies can sue in federal court for awards three times the damage arising from the anti-competitive behavior. EXERCISES 1. WillMan increase in the demand for a monopolist’s product always result in a higher price? Explain, Will an increase in the supply facing a monopsonist buyer always result in a lower price? Explain. As illustrated in Figure 10.4b in the textbook, an increase in demand need not always result in a higher price. Under the conditions portrayed in Figure 10.4b, the monopolist supplies different quantities at the same price. Similarly, an increase in supply facing the monopsonist need not always result in a higher price. Suppose the average expenditure curve shifts from AE, to AB,, as illustrated in Figure 10.1. With the shift in the average expenditure curve, the marginal expenditure curve shifts from ME, to ME,. ‘The ME, curve intersects the marginal value curve (demand curve) at @,, resulting in fa price of P. When the AE curve shifts, the ME, curve intersects the marginal value curve at Q, resulting in the same price at P. 141Chapter 10: Market Power: Monopoly and Monopsony Price ME, AE, MV a @ Quantity Figure 10.1 2. Caterpillar Tractor, one of the largest producers of farm machinery in the world, has hired you to advise them on pricing policy. One of the things the company would like to know is how much a 5 percent increase in price is likely to reduce sales. What would you need to know to help the company with this problem? Explain why these facts are important. As a large producer of farm equipment, Caterpillar Tractor has market power and should consider the entire demand curve when choosing prices for its products. As their advisor, you should focus on the determination of the elasticity of demand for each product. There are three important factors to be considered. First, how similar are the products offered by Caterpillar's competitors? If they are close substitutes, a small inerease in price could induce customers to switch to the competition. Secondly, what is the age of the existing stock of tractors? With an older population of tractors, a 5 percent price increase induces a smaller drop in demand. Finally, because farm tractors are a capital input in agricultural production, what is the expected profitability of the agricultural sector? If farm incomes are expected to fall, an increase in tractor prices induces a greater decline in demand than one would estimate with information ‘on only past sales and prices. 3. A monopolist firm faces a demand with constant elasticity of -2.0. It has a constant marginal cost of $20 per unit and sets a price to maximize profit. If marginal cost should increase by 25 percent, would the price charged also rise by 25 percent? Yes. The monopolist's pricing rule as a function of the elasticity of demand for its product is: @-Mo) or alternatively, 142,Chapter 10: Market Power: Monopoly and Monopsony 2.0, 80 VB, In this example E, 1/2; price should then be set so that: Mc ( _ = 2c ‘Therefore, if MC rises by 25 percent, then price will also rise by 25 percent, Wher MC = $20, P = $40. When MC rises to §20(1.25) = $25, the price rises to $60, a 25 percent increase. 4. A firm faces the following average revenue (demand) curve: P=120-0.02Q where Q is weekly production and P is price, measured in cents per unit. The firm’s cost function is given by C = 60Q + 25,000. Assume that the firm maximizes profits. i a, What is the level of production, price, and total profit per week? ‘The profit-maximizing output is found by setting marginal revenue equal to marginal cost. Given a linear demand curve in inverse form, P= 120 - 0.02Q, we know that the marginal revenue curve will have twice the slope of the demand curve. Thus, the marginal revenue curve for the firm is MR = 120 - 0.04@. Marginal cost is simply the : slope of the total cost curve. The slope of TC = 60@ + 25,000 is 60, so MC equals 60. , Setting MR = MC to determine the profit-maximizing quantity: 120 -0.01@= 60, or @= 1,500, Substituting the profit-maximizing quantity into the inverse demand function to i determine the price: P= 120 - (0.02)(1,500) = 90 cents. Profit equals total revenue minus total cost: = (90)(1,500) - (25,000 + (60)(1,500)), o ‘= $200 per week, ; If the government decides to levy a tax of 14 cents per unit on this product, what will { be the new level of production, price, and profit? ‘Suppose initially that the consumers must pay the tax to the government. Since the total price (including the tax) consumers would be willing to pay remains unchanged, wwe know that the demand function is P*+T=120-0.029, or i P*=120-0.02Q- T, where P* is the price received by the suppliers. Because the tax increases the price of each unit, total revenue for the monopolist decreases by 7, and marginal revenue, the revenue on each additional unit, decreases by 7: ‘ MR = 120-0.04Q-T where T'= 14 cents, To determine the profit-maximizing level of output with the tax, equate marginal revenue with marginal cost: 120 -0.04Q- 14= 60, or Q= 1,150 units, Substituting Q into the demand function to determine price: ; P*= 120 - (0.02)(1,150) - 14 = 83 cents. 143,5. The follo Chapter 10: Market Power: Monopoly and Monopsony Profit is total revenue minus total cost: = (83)(1,150) - (60)(1,150) + 25,000)= 1450cents, or $14.50 per week. Note: The price facing the consumer after the imposition of the tax is 97 cents. The ‘monopolist receives 83 cents, Therefore, the consumer and the monopolist each pay 7 cents of the tax. If the monopolist had to pay the tax instead of the consumer, we would arrive at the same result. The monopolist’s cost function would then be TC = 60Q + 25,000 + TQ= (60 + TQ + 25,000. ‘The slope of the cost function is (60 + 7), so MC = 60 + T. We set this MC to the ‘marginal revenue function from part (a): 120 - 0.04Q = 60+ 14, or Q=1,150. ‘Thus, it does not matter who sends the tax payment to the government. The burden of the tax is reflected in the price of the good. ig table shows the demand curve facing a monopolist who produces at a constant marginal cost of $10. Price Quantity = 18 0 16 4 14 8 2 12 10 16 8 20 6 24 4 28 2 82 0 36 Calculate the firm's marginal revenue curve. To find the marginal revenue curve, we first derive the inverse demand curve. The intercept of the inverse demand curve on the price axis is 18, The slope of the inverse demand curve is the change in price divided by the change in quantity. For example, a decrease in price from 18 to 16 yields an increase in quantity from 0 to 4. Therefore, the and the demand curve is P=18-0.50. ‘The marginal revenue curve corresponding to a linear demand curve is a line with the same intercept as the inverse demand curve and a slope that is twice as steep ‘Therefore, the marginal revenue curve is MR=18-Q. 144Chapter 10: Market Power: Monopoly and Monopsony b, What are the firm's profitmaximizing output and price? What is its profit? ‘The monopolist’: maximizing output occurs where marginal revenue equals marginal cost. Marginal cost is a constant $10. Setting MR equal to MC to determine the profit- maximizing quantity: 18-Q=10, or Q=8. ‘To find the profit-maximizing price, substitute this quantity into the demand equation: P=18-(.5X8)=$14, ‘Total revenue is price times quantity: TR =(14X8)=$112. ‘The profit of the firm is total revenue minus total cost, and total cost is equal to average cost times the level of output produced. Since marginal cost is constant, average variable cost is equal to marginal cost. Ignoring any fixed costs, total cost is 10@ or 80, and profitis 112-80 = $32, What would the equilibrium price and quantity be in a competitive industry? For a competitive industry, price would equal marginal cost at equilibrium. Setting the expression for price equal to a marginal cost of 10: 18-0.50=10 > 0= 16> P =10. ‘Note the increase in the equilibrium quantity compared to the monopoly solution. ‘What would the social gain be if this monopolist were forced to produce and price at the competitive equilibrium? Who would gain and lose as a result? ‘The social gain arises from the elimination of deadweight loss. Deadweight loss in this case is equal to the triangle above the constant marginal cost curve, below the demand curve, and between the quantities 8 and 16, or numerically (14-10)(16-8).5)-$16, Consumers gain this deadweight loss plus the monopolist’s profit of $32. ‘The ‘monopolist’ profits are reduced to zero, and the consumer surplus increases by $48, 6. Suppose that an industry is characterized as follows: Firm total cost function Firm marginal cost function Industry demand curve Industry marginal revenue curve. a, If there is only one firm in the industry, find the monopoly price, quantity, and level of profit. If there is only one firm in the industry, then the firm will act like a monopolist and produce at the point where marginal revenue is equal to marginal cost: MO=4Q=90-4Q=MR Q=11.25. For a quantity of 11.25, the firm will charge a price P=90-2*11.25-867.50. ‘The level of profit is $67.50*11.25-100-2*11.25*11.25=$406.25, 145cA Chapter 10: Market Power: Monopoly and Monopsony Find the price, quantity, and level of profit if the industry is competitive. If the industry is competitive then price is equal to marginal cost, so that 90-2Q=4Q, 15. At a quantity of 16 price is equal to 60. ‘The level of profit is therefore 60*15-100-2"15*15=8350, Graphically illustrate the demand curve, marginal revenue curve, marginal cost curve, and average cost curve. Identify the difference between the profit level of the monopoly and the profit level of the competitive industry in two different ways. Verify that the two are numerically equivalent. ‘The graph below illustrates the demand curve, marginal revenue curve, and marginal cost curve. The average cost curve hits the marginal cost curve at a quantity of approximately 7, and is increasing thereafter (this is not shown in the graph below), ‘The profit that is lost by having the firm produce at the competitive solution as compared to the monopoly solution is given by the difference of the two profit levels as calculated in parts a and b above, or $406.25-$350=856.25. On the graph below, this difference is represented by the lost profit area, which is the triangle below the marginal cost curve and above the marginal revenue curve, between the quantities of 11.25 and 15. This is lost profit because for each of these 3.75 units extra revenue earned was less than extra cost incurred. This area can be calculated as 0.5*(60-45)*3.75+0.5*(45-30)"3.75=856.25. The second method of graphically illustrating the difference in the two profit levels is to draw in the average cost curve and identify the two profit boxes. ‘The profit box is the difference between the total revenue box (price times quantity) and the total cost box (average cost times quantity). The monopolist will gain two areas and lose one area as ‘compared to the competitive firm, and these areas will sum to $56.25. P wc lost profit Demand 1128 35 ‘Suppose a profit-maximizing monopolist is producing 800 units of output and is charging a price of $40 per unit. If the elasticity of demand for the product is -2, find the marginal cost of the last unit produced. Recall that the monopolist's pricing rule as 2 function of the elasticity of demand for its product is: or alternatively,Chapter 10: Market Power: Monopoly and Monopsony If we then plug in -2 for the elasticity and 40 for price we can solve to find MC=20. ‘What is the firm's percentage markup of price over marginal cost? In percentage terms the mark-up is 50%, since marginal cost is 50% of price. ‘Suppose that the average cost of the last unit produced is $15 and the fixed cost is $2000. Find the firm's profit. Total revenue is price times quantity, or $40*800=$32,000. Total cost is equal to average cost times quantity, or $15*800=812,000. Profit is then $20,000. Producer surplus is profit plus fixed cost, or $22,000. 8. A firm has two factories for which costs are given by: Factory #1: C,(Q,) = 109 Factory #2: C,(Q,) = 209; ‘The firm faces the following demand curve: 700-5Q where Q is total output, i.e. @=@, + Qs On a diagram, draw the marginal cost curves for the two factories, the average and marginal revenue curves, and the total marginal cost curve (ie., the marginal cost of producing Q = Q, + Q,). Indicate the profit-maximizing output for each factory, total output, and price. ‘The average revenue curve is the demand curve, P=700-5Q. For a linear demand curve, the marginal revenue curve has the same intercept as the demand curve and a slope that is twice as steep: MR=700- 108. Next, determine the marginal cost of producing @. To find the marginal cost of production in Factory 1, take the first derivative of the cost function with respect to @: HQ) _r99. dQ Similarly, the marginal cost in Factory 2 is Rearranging the marginal cost equations in inverse form and horizontally summing them, we obtain total marginal cost, MCy: Profit maximization occurs where MC; = MR. See Figure 10.8. for the profit- maximizing output for each factory, total output, and price. 147Chapter 10: Market Power: Monopoly and Monopsony Price 7o0-- MC, MC, MC; juantity Jy Quantity 70 1 Figure 10.8.2 Calculate the values of Q,, Qx,Q, and P that maximize profit. Calculate the total output that maximizes profit, ie., @ such that MC, = MR: 422 . 700-100, or Q= 30, Next, observe the relationship between MC and MR for multiplant monopolies: MR = MC; = MC, = MC, We know that at Q = 30, MR = 700 - {10)(30) = 400. Therefore, MC, = 400= 200,, oF Q MC, = 400 = 40, or Qy To find the monopoly price, Py, substitute for Qin the demand equation: 0. Py_= 700 - (5)(30). oF Py = 550, Suppose labor costs increase in Factory 1 but not in Factory 2. How should the firm adjust the following(i.e., raise, lower, or leave unchanged): Output in Factory 1? Output in Factory 2? Total output? Pri ‘An increase in labor costs will lead to a horizontal shift to the ieft in MC,, causing MC; to shift to the left as well (since it is the horizontal sum of MC, and MC,). ‘The new MG; curve intersects the MR curve at a lower quantity and higher marginal revenue. Ata higher level of marginal revenue, Q, is greater than at the original level for MR. Since Qr falls and Q, rises, Q, must fall. Since Q falls, price must rise. 148,Chapter 10: Market Power: Monopoly and Monopsony 9. A drug company has a monopoly on a new patented medicine. The product can be made in either of two plants. The costs of production for the two plants are MC, = 20 + 2Q,, and MG, = 10 + 5Q,. The firm's estimate of the demand for the product is P = 20. 3(Q, +Q,). How much should the firm plan to produce in each plant? At what price should it plan to sell the product? First, notice that only MC) is relevant because the marginal cost curve of the first plant lies above the demand curve. Price 30-4 MC, = 10+ 5Q, ‘MC, = 20 +2, 091 33 67 Figure 10.9 This means that the demand curve becomes P = 20 - 3@,. With an inverse linear demand curve, we know that the marginal revenue curve has the same vertical intercept but twice the slope, or MR = 20 - 6@;. To determine the profit-maximizing level of output, equate MR and MC, 20 - 6Q, = 10 + 5Q,, or @=@, =091 Price is determined by substituting the profit-maximizing quantity into the demand equation: 20-3(0.91) =173 10. One of the more important antitrust cases of this century involved the Aluminum Company of America (Alcoa) in 1945, At that time, Aleoa controlled about 90 percent of primary aluminum production in the United States, and the company had been accused of monopolizing the aluminum market, In its defense, Alcoa argued that although it indeed controlled a large fraction of the primary market, secondary aluminum (ie, aluminum produced from the recycling of scrap) accounted for roughly 30 percent of the total supply of aluminum, and many competitive firms were engaged in recycling. Therefore, Alcoa argued, it did not have much monopoly power. a. Provide a clear argument in favor of Alcoa's position. Although Alcoa controlled about 90 percent of primary aluminum production in the United States, secondary aluminum production by recyclers accounted for 30 percent of the total aluminum supply. Therefore, with a higher price, a much larger proporticn of alumipzm supply could come from secondary sources. This assertion is true because there is « large stock of potential supply in the economy. Therefore, the price elasticity of demand for Alcoa's primary aluminum is much higher (in absolute value) than we 149© 11. A monopolist faces the demand curve Chapter 10: Market Power: Monopoly and Monopsony would expect, given Alcoa's dominant position in primary aluminum production. In ‘many applications, other metals such as copper and steel are feasible substitutes for aluminum, Again, the demand elasticity Alcoa faces might be higher than we would otherwise expect. Provide a clear argument against Alcoa's position. While Aleoa could not raise its price by very much at any one time, the stock of potential aluminum supply is limited. Therefore, by keeping a stable high price, Alcoa could reap monopoly profits. Also, since Alcoa had originally produced the metal reappearing as recycled scrap, it would have considered the effect of scrap reclamation on future prices. Therefore, it exerted effective monopolistic control over the secondary metal supply. ‘The 1945 decision by Judge Learned Hand has been called “one of the most celebrated judicial opinions of our time.” Do you know what Judge Hand’s ruling was? ‘Judge Hand ruled against Alcoa but did not order it to divest itself of any of its United States production facilities. ‘The two remedies imposed by the court were (1) that Alcoa was barred from bidding for two primary aluminum plants constructed by the government during World War II (they were sold to Reynolds and Kaiser) and (2) that it divest itself ofits Canadian subsidiary, which became Alcan. and Q in thousands of units. The monopolist has a constant average cost of $6 per unit. ‘Draw the average and marginal revenue curves and the average and marginal cost curves. What are the monopolist’s profit-maximizing price and quantity? What is the resulting profit? Calculate the firm's degree of monopoly power using the Lerner index. Because demand (average revenue) may be described as P = 11 - Q, we know that the ‘marginal revenue function is MR = 11 - 2. We also know that if average cost is, constant, then marginal cost is constant and equal to average cost: MC = 6. ‘To find the profit-maximizing level of output, set marginal revenue equal to marginal cost: 11-2Q=6,0rQ=25, ‘That is, the profit-maximizing quantity equals 2,500 units. Substitute the profit- maximizing quantity into the demand equation to determine the price: P= 11-25 =$8.50. Profits are equal to total revenue minus total cost, rR - TC = (ARXQ)- (ACKQ), or 8.5)(2.5) - (6X2.5) = 6.25, or $6,250, ‘The degree of monopoly power is given by the Lerner Index: 150 = 11-Q, where P is measured in dollars per unitChapter 10: Market Power: Monopoly and Monopsony Price 2 AC=MC Q 2 4 6 8 0 w Figure 10.11. A government regulatory agency sets a price ceiling of $7 per unit. What quantity will be produced, and what will the firm's profit be? What happens to the degree of monopoly power? To determine the effect of the price ceiling on the quantity produced, substitute the ceiling price into the demand equation. 7=11-@ or @= 4,000. ‘The monopolist will pick the price of 87 because it is the highest price that it can charge, and this price is still greater than the constant marginal cost of $6, resulting in positive monopoly profit. Profits are equal to total revenue minus total cost: = (7)(4,000) - (6)(4,000) = $4,000. ‘The degree of monopoly power is: P-MC P 7-6 48 - ona, 770 What price ceiling yields the largest level of output? What is that level of output? What is the firm's degree of monopoly power at this price? Ifthe regulatory authority sets a price below $6, the monopolist would prefer to go out of business instead of produce because it cannot cover its average costs. At any price above $6, the monopolist would produce less than the 5,000 units that would be produced in a competitive industry. Therefore, the regulatory agency should set a price ceiling of $6, thus making the monopolist face a horizontal effective demand curve up to @ = 5,000. To ensure a positive output (@0 that the monopolist is not indifferent between producing 5,000 units and shutting down), the price ceiling should be set at $6 +8, where 6 is small Thus, 5,000 is the maximum output that the regulatory agency can extract from the ‘monopolist by using a price ceiling. The degree of monopoly power is 151Chapter 10: Market Power: Monopoly and Monopsony 12. Michelle's Monopoly Mutant Turtles (MMMT) has the exclusive right to sell Mutant ‘Turtle t-shirts in the United States. The demand for these tshirts is Q = 10,000/P*, The firm’s short-run cost is SRTC = 2,000 + 5Q, and its long-run cost is LRTC = 6Q. What price should MMMT charge to maximize profit in the short run? What quantity does it sell, and how much profit does it make? Would it be better off shutting down in the short run? MMMT should offer enough t-shirts such that MR = MC. In the short run, marginal cost is the change in SRTC as the result ofthe production of another tshirt, ie. SRMC = 5, the slope of the SRTC curve. Demand is: 10,000 Q= : Pe or, in inverse form, = 1009"* Total revenue (PQ) is 1009". Taking the derivative of TR with respect to Q, MR =50Q™. Equating MR and MC to determine the profit-maximizing quantity: 5=50Q™, or Q= 100. Substituting @ = 100 into the demand function to determine price: P= (100)(100™") = 10. ‘The profit at this price and quantity is equal to total revenue minus total cost: (10)(100) - (2000 + (5)(100)) = -$1,500 Although profit is negative, price is above the average variable cost of 5 and therefore, the firm should not shut down in the short run. Since most of the firm's costs are fixed, the firm loses $2,000 if nothing is produced. If the profit-maximizing quantity is produced, the firm loses only $1,500. What price should MMMT charge in the long run? What quantity does it sell and how much profit does it make? Would it be better off shutting down in the long run? In the long run, marginal cost is equal to the slope of the LRTC curve, which is 6. Equating marginal revenue and long run marginal cost to determine the profit maximizing quantity: 50Q"*=6 or Q=69.44 Substituting @ = 69.44 into the demand equation to determine price: P= (100)f(5046)"] "" = (100)(6/50) = 12 ‘Therefore, total revenue is $833.33 and total cost is $416.67. Profit is $116.67. ‘The firm should remain in business. Can we expect MMMT to have lower marginal cost in the short run than in the long run? Explain why. Tn the long run, MMMT must replace all fixed factors. Therefore, we can expect LRMC to be higher than SRMC. 13. You produce widgets to sell in a perfectly competitive market at a market price of $10 per widget. Your widgets are manufactured in two plants, one in Massachusetts and the other in Connecticut. Because of labor problems in Connecticut, you are forced to raise wages there, so marginal costs in that plant increase. In response to this, should you shift production and produce more in the Massachusetts plant? No, production should not shift to the Massachusetts plant, although production in the Connecticut plant should be reduced. In order to maximize profits, a multiplant 152Chapter 10: Market Power: Monopoly and Monopsony firm will schedule production at all plants so that the following two conditions are met: - Marginal costs of production at each plant are equal - Marginal revenue of the total amount produced is equal to the marginal cost at each plant. These two rules can be summarized as MR=MC,=MC,= MC;, where the subscript indicates the plant. ‘The firm in this example has two plants and is in a perfectly competitive market. In a perfectly competitive market P = MR. To maximize profits, production among the plants should be allocated such that: P=MC,Q)=MC,(Q,. where the subscripts denote plant locations (c for Connecticut, etc.). The marginal costs of production have increased in Connecticut but have not changed in Massachusetts. Since costs have not changed in Massachusetts, the level of Qq, that sets MC,(Q,) = P, has not changed. Figure 10.13 14. The employment of teaching assistants (TAs) by major universities can be characterized as a monopsany. Suppose the demand for TAs is W = 30,000 - 125n, where W is the wage (as an annual salary), and n is the number of TAs hired. The supply of TAs is given by W = 1,000 +750, a. If the university takes advantage of its monopsonist position, how many TAs will it hire? What wage will it pay? ‘The supply curve is equivalent to the average expenditure curve. With a supply curve of W= 1,000 + 75n, the total expenditure is Wn = 1,000n + 75n*, Taking the derivative of the total expenditure function with respect to the number of TAs, the marginal expenditure curve is 1,000 + 150n. As a monopeonist, the university woukd equate marginal value (demand) with marginal expenditure to determine the number of TAs to hire: 30,000 - 125n = 1,000 + 156n, or n= 1055. Substituting n = 108.5 into the supply curve to determine the wage: 1,000 + (75)(108.5) = $8,909 annually,Chapter 10: Market Power: Monopoly and Monopsony b. If, instead, the university faced an infinite supply of TAs at the annual wage level of $10,000, how many TAs would it hire? With an infinite number of TAs at $10,000, the supply curve is horizontal at $10,000. Total expenditure is (10,000\(n), and marginal expenditure is 10,000. Equating marginal value and marginal expenditure: 30,000 - 1251 n= 160. 15. Dayna’s Doorstops, Inc. (DD), is a monopolist in the doorstop industry. Its cost is C= 100-5Q+Q", and demand is P = 55 - 2Q. a. What price should DD set to maximize profit? What output does the firm produce? How much profit and consumer surplus does DD generate? ‘To maximize profits, DD should equate marginal revenue and marginal cost, Given a demand of | 2Q, we know that total revenue, PQ, is 55Q - 2@". Marginal revenue is found by taking the first derivative of total revenue with respect to @ or: aTR mr=“7R aQ Similarly, marginal cost is determined by taking the first derivative of the total cost function with respect to Q or: 55-4Q. aTC MC 29-5, aQ Equating MC and MR to determine the profit-maximizing quantity, 55-4Q=2Q-5, or Q=10. Substituting @ = 10 into the demand equation to determine the profit-maximizing price: P= 56 - (2)(10) = $35. Profits are equal to total revenue minus total cost: ‘= (35)(10) - (100 - (5)(10) + 10°) = $200. Consumer surplus is equal to one-half times the profit-maximizing quantity, 10, times the difference between the demand intercept (the maximum price anyone is willing to pay) and the monopoly price: CS = (0.5)(10)(55 - 35) = $100. What would output be if DD acted like a perfect competitor and set MC = P? What profit and consumer surplus would then be generated? In competition, profits are maximized at the point where price equals marginal cost, where price is given by the demand curve: 55-2 +2Q,or Q=15. Substituting @ = 16 into the demand equation to determine the price: P= 55 -(2)(15) = $25, Profits are total revenue minus total cost or: = (25)(15) - (100 - (5)(15) + 15°) = $125. 154e Chapter 10: Market Power: Monopoly and Monopsony Consumer surplus is CS = (0.5)(55 - 25)(15) = $225, What is the deadweight loss from monopoly power in part (a)? ‘The deadweight loss is equal to the area below the demand curve, above the marginal cost curve, and between the quantities of 10 and 15, or numerically DWL = (0.5)(35 - 18)(15 - 10) = $50. Suppose the government, concerned about the high price of doorstops, sets a maximum price at $27. How does this affect price, quantity, consumer surplus, and DD's profit? What is the resulting deadweight loss? With the imposition of a price ceiling, the maximum price that DD may charge is $27.00. Note that when a ceiling price is set above the competitive price the ceiling price is equal to marginal revenue for all levels of output sold up to the competitive level of output. ‘Substitute the ceiling price of $27.00 into the demand equation to determine the effect on the ‘equilibrium quantity sold: 27 = 55 -2Q, or Q= 14 Consumer surplus is CS= 0.5)(55 - 27(14) = $196. Profite are = (27)(14) - (100 - (6)(14) + 14°) = $152. ‘The deadweight loss is $2.00 This is equivalent to a triangle of (0.5)(15 - 14927 - 23) = $2 Now suppose the government sets the maximum price at $23. How does this affect price, quantity, consumer surplus, DD's profit, and deadweight loss? With a ceiling price set below the competitive price, DD will decrease its output. Equate marginal revenue and marginal cost to determine the profit-maximizing level of output: 23=-5+2@,or Q=14. With the government-imposed maximum price of $23, profits are (23)(14) - (100 - (6)(14) + 14°) = $96. Consumer surplus is realized on only 14 doorsteps. Therefore, it is equal to the consumer surplus in part d., ie. $196, plus the savings on each doorstep, ie., CS = (27 - 23)(14) = $56. Therefore, consumer surplus is $252. Deadweight loss is the same as before, $2.00. Finally, consider a maximum price of $12. What will this do to quantity, consumer surplus, profit, and deadweight loss? With a maximum price of only $12, output decreases even further: 12= 542, or Q=8.5. Profits are = (12) - (100 - (68.5) +8. = $27.76 Consumer surplus is realized on only 8.5 units, which is equivalent to the consumer surplus associated with a price of $38 (38 = 55 -2(8.5)), ie., (0.5)(55 - 38)(8.5) = $72.25, plus the savings on each doorstep, i. 155Chapter 10: Market Power: Monopoly and Monopsony (88 - 12)(8.5) = $221. Therefore, consumer surplus is $293.25. Total surplus is $265.50, and deadweight loss is $84.50. +16. There are 10 households in Lake Wobegon, Minnesota, each with a demand for electricity of Q=50-P, Lake Wobegon Electric's (LWE) cost of producing electricity is TC = 500+. If the regulators of LWE want to make sure that there is no deadweight loss in this market, what price will they force LWE to charge? What will output be in that case? Calculate consumer surplus and LWE’s profit with that price. ‘The first step in solving the regulator's problem is to determine the market demand for clectricity in Lake Wobegon. The quantity demanded in the market is the sum of the quantity demanded by each individual at any given price. Graphically, we horizontally sum each household’s demand for electricity to arrive at market demand, and mathematically 04 = 30, = 10(50 -P) = 500-10 => P= 50-10. ‘To avoid deadweight loss, the regulators will set price equal to marginal cost. Given TC = 500+@, MC = 1 (the slope of the total cost curve). Setting price equal to marginal cost, and solving for quantity: 50-0.1Q= 1, or Q= 490. Profits are equal to total revenue minus total costs: = (1)(490) - (600+490) ‘Total consumer surplus is: CS = (0.5)(50 - 1)(490) = 12,005, or $1,200.50 per household. If regulators want to ensure that LWE doesn’t lose money, what is the lowest price they can impose? Calculate output, consumer surplus, and profit. is there any deadweight loss? ‘To guarantee that LWE does not lose money, regulators will allow LWE to charge the average cost of production, where TC ace = @ ‘To determine the equilibrium price and quantity under average cost pricing, set price equal to average cost: Solving for @ yields the following quadratic equation: 0.1G* - 49@ + 500 = 0. Note: if Q’+ bQ+c=0, then -b2 Vb" —4a0 e 2a 156Chapter 10: Market Power: Monopoly and Monopsony Using the quadratic formula: 49+ Yas” — (4(0.11(500) (0. there are two solutions: 10.4 and 479.6. Note that at a quantity of 10.4, marginal revenue is greater than marginal cost, and the firm will gain by producing more output. Also, note that the larger quantity results in a lower price and hence a larger consumer surplus. Therefore, @=479.6 and P=82.04. At this quantity and price, profit is zero (given some slight rounding error). Consumer surplus is CS = (0.5)(60 - 2.04)(479.6) = $11,500. Deadweight loss is DWL = (2.04 - 19490 - 479.6)(0.5) Kristina knows that deadweight loss is something that this small town can do without. She suggests that each household be required to pay a fixed amount just to receive any electricity at all, and then a per-unit charge for electricity. ‘Then LWE can break even while charging the price you calculated in part (a). What fixed amount would each household have to pay for Kristina’s plan to work? Why can you be sure that no household will choose instead to refuse the payment and go without electricity? Fixed costs are $500. If each household pays $50, the fixed costs are covered and the utility can charge marginal cost for electricity. Because consumer surplus per houschold under marginal cost pricing is $1200.50, each would be willing to pay the $60. 17. A certain town in the Midwest obtains all of its electricity from one company, Northstar Blectri Although the company is a monopoly, it is owned by the citizens of the town, all of whom split the profits equally at the end of each year. The CEO of the company claims that because all of the profits will be given back to the citizer it makes economic sense to charge a monopoly price for electricity. True or false? Explain. ‘The CEO's claim is false. If the company charges the monopoly price then it will be producing a smaller quantity than the competitive equilibrium. Therefore, even though all of the monopoly profits are given back to the citizens, there is still a deadweight loss associated with the fact that too little electricity is produced and consumed. 18. A monopolist faces the following demand curve: Q=144/P* where Q is the quantity demanded and P is price. Its average variable cost is AVC=Q", and its fixed cost is 5. What are its profit-maximizing price and quantity? What is the resulting profit? ‘The monopolist wants to choose the level of output to maximize its profits, and it does this by setting marginal revenue equal to marginal cost. To find marginal revenue, first rewrite the demand function as a function of Q so that you can then express total revenue as a function of Q, and calculate marginal revenueChapter 10: Market Power: Monopoly and Monopsony 24 ps fi 12 @ Qo Yo R=P*Q= Bp e- 0 AR ees 6 MR=5 205+ -% ag yo Jo To find marginal cost, fist find total cost, which is equal to fixed cost plus variable cost. You are given fixed cost of 5. Variable vost is equal to average variable cost times Q so that total cost and marginal cost are: 1C=5+9*Q =5+0° w= tC _ 310. s4Q0 2 To find the profit-maximizing level of output, we set marginal revenue equal to ‘marginal cost: Ml = PQ-TC=6*4-(5+4*)=$11. Suppose the government regulates the price to be no greater than $4 per unit. How much will the monopolist produce? What will its profit be? The price ceiling truncates the demand curve that the monopolist faces at P=4 or Q= Pa 9. Therefore, if the monopolist praduces 9 units or less, the price must be $4, Because ofthe regulation, the demand curve now has two parts: $4, ifQ<9 P= 129", FQ>9, Thus, total revenue and marginal revenue also should be considered in two parts 4Q ifQe9 TR= and 29", if Q>9 $4, ifQs9 MR= "7, ifQ>9. To find the profit-maximizing level of output, set marginal revenue equal to marginal cost, 80 that for P= 4,Chapter 10: Market Power: Monopoly and Monopsony If the monopolist produces an integer number of units, the profit-maximizing production level is 7 units, price is $4, revenue is $28, total cost is $23.52, and profit is $4.48. There is a shortage of two units, since the quantity demanded at the price of $4 is 9 units, Suppose the government wants to set a ceiling price that induces the monopolist to produce the largest possible output. What price will accomplish this goal? ‘To maximize output, the regulated price should be set so that demand equals marginal cost, which implies; 1 3, 2 WO Q= 8 and P = $4.24 yo 2 ‘The regulated price becomes the monopolist’ marginal revenue curve, which is a horizontal line with an intercept at the regulated price. To maximize proft, the frm produoas where marginal cost is equal to marginal revenue, which results in a quantity of 8 units, 159