Microeconomics Flashcards
Which countries, due to competition from Japan in the 1970s and 80s, looked towards TQM as a way to gain more competitive exports?
USA and UK
Define - Total Quality Management
An effort to install a climate in which a firm improves its ability to deliver high-quality products and services to customers
Define - Product-line Pricing
The practice of pricing a core product at below average cost and pricing complementary goods and accessories at a high mark-up
Define - Price Dripping
A practice of disclosing only incrementally the various fees and charges consumers must pay for goods or services
Price _ allows a firm to recover its sunk costs quickly before competitions steps in and lowers price
Skimming
Define - Price Skimming
A pricing strategy which sets a relatively high price for a product at first, then lowers the price over time
Define - Penetration Pricing
A pricing technique which sets a relatively low initial entry price to attract new customers (requires low customer loyalty)
Define - Price Discounts
A pricing strategy a firm may engage in to stimulate sales (BOGOF, two for the price of one)
Define - Cost-plus Pricing
Where a firm sets its price by adding a certain percentage for profit on top of average cost
Define - Limit Pricing
Where a monopolist, or oligopolist, charges a price below the new entrant’s AC to deter entry
Define - Predatory Pricing
Where a firm sets its prices below its own AC in order to drive competitors out of business
We cannot tell whether a monopolist charges low prices because he fears market entry or he exploits _ which let him set low prices
Economies of Scale
Give three things which make a market less contestable
- Information asymmetry
- Limit pricing
- Customer loyalty
- High sunk costs (and other barriers to entry)
The more contestable a market is, the more likely that an _ efficient outcome is achieved
Allocatively
Lidl and Aldi having most of their products as own-label gives them purchasing power with _
Suppliers
Define - Hit and run entry
When a business enters an industry to take advantage of temporarily high (supernormal) market profits
Define - Contestable Market
Where an entrant has access to all production techniques available to incumbents and entry decisions can be reversed without cost
High _ costs act as a barrier to entry of new firms because they risk making significant losses if they decide to exit the sector
Sunk
In 2015 Porsche revealead a £544 million project to challenge _ dominance in the battery-powered sports car market
Tesla’s
Define - Disruptive innovation
An innovation that disrupts an existing market, displacing established market leaders and alliances
From 2013-2015 Peer to Peer Lending through Funding Circle lent _ more to startup businesses
285 million
By how much did Netflix’s revenue increase from 2013-2015?
2.3 billion
As of January 2016 one of the last countries to not have Netflix streaming service available to them was _
China
What universal factor has contributed to making all markets more contestable to some degree?
Technology
Define - Surge-pricing model
Charging higher fares when demand is rising (such as at peak times during the day)
Which taxi firm has recently entered the mini-cab market to show that barriers to entry in Monopolistic Competition are low?
Uber
In the short run what is the state of the three economic efficiencies in Monopolistic Competition?
- Produce above minimum AC and hence productively inefficient
- Allocatively inefficient
- Dynamically efficient
In the long run what is the state of the three economic efficiencies in Monopolistic Competition?
- Produce above minimum AC and hence productively inefficient
- Less Allocatively inefficient
- Dynamically inefficient as normal profits are made
Give five characteristics of a monopolistically competitive market
- Contestable (Low barriers to entry and exit)
- Firms have some degree of price setting power
- Normal profits made in long run, however market always in flux
- Imperfect information
- Low concentration ratio
- Independent decision making]
- Product differentiation
Give three examples of monopolistically competitive industries
- Hairdressers
- Minicabs
- Restaurants
Why, if supernormal profits are made in the short run, are normal profits made in the long run in monopolistic competition?
If profits are made in the short run, more firms join the market (because of low barriers to entry), which decreases each firm’s individual demand until AR is tangential to AC.
Why, if losses are made in the short run, are normal profits made in the long run in monopolistic competition?
If losses are made in the short run, firms leave the market (because of low barriers to exit), which increases each firm’s individual demand until AR is tangential to AC
Give the four types of product differntiation
- Distribution differentiation
- Human capital differentiation
- Marketing differentiation
- Physical differentiation
Define - Distribution Differentiation
Including distribution via internet shopping, such as Amazon, which differentiates from bookstores by selling online
Define - Human Capital Differentiation
Where the firm creates differences through the skill of its employees, the level of training received, distinctive uniforms
Define - Marketing Differentiation
Where firms try to differentiate their product by distinctive packaging and other promotional techniques
Define - Physical Differntiation
Where firms use size, design, colour, shape, performance, and features to make their products different
Give three costs of advertising
- Creates materialism
- Brand loyalty acts as a barrier
- There are opportunity costs
- Misleads consumers
- Packaging causes environmental damage
Give three advantages of advertising
- Provides new information
- Helps firms grow and benefit from Economies of SCale
- Encourages price competition through revealing prices
Give an example of a first mover
- eBay - Online Auction
- Kleenex - Facial tissues
- Amazon - Online bookstore
Coca-Cola, invented in 1886 was a first mover. When Pepsi-Cola was invented 13 years later coke was already selling _
1 million gallons p.a.
Give three disadvantages to being a first mover opposed to a follower
- First movers sometimes rigidly adhere to their original path, even when it isn’t working
- Followers can utilize newer technologies that become available, while first movers may be heavily invested in older ones
- Followers may be able to examine the processes of first movers and modify them for greater efficiency
- Followers to first movers into a market can learn from the mistakes of the first movers
- First movers bear the economic burden of developing a new market that followers into the market can exploit
Give three advantages to being a first mover opposed to a follower
- First movers may have a sustainable advantage when there is a high cost involved for customers to switch brands at a later date
- First movers may have an advantage in controlling resources, such as a strategic location or a contract with key suppliers
- First movers have more time to refine their processes and to perfect their products or services
- First movers have the potential to make a lasting impression on customers, leading to brand loyalty
Give your default game theory values
Cell A: Airline A raise price, Airline B raise price - £10+£10 = £20
Cell B: Airine A raise price, Airline B lower price - £3+£12 = £15
Cell C: Airline A lower price, Airline B raise price - £12+£3 = £15
Cell D: Airline A lower price, Airline B lower price - £6+£6 = £12
In a game theory matrix, each firm independently wishes to lower price, as this has the greatest potential for them to maximise single profits, however what is the implication of this?
Both firms will lower price which in turn will mean they reach Nash Equilibrium and earn the lowest possible joint profits. To maximise joint-profits the firms would both need to collude, and raise prices together
With the _ it is in both prisoner’s best interests to confess. However if both confess they both get the maximum number of years in jail
Prisoner’s Dilemma
Why won’t rivals follow a price increase by an oligopolist?
Because PED will be greater than 1, and if you raise price when PED is greater than 1 demand will for more than proportionally meaning less revenue. Thus to gain market share rivals would avoid raising price
Why will rivals match price cut of an oligopolist?
Because PED will be less than 1, and if you cut price when PED is less than 1 demand will rise more than proportionately. Thus to avoid losing market share rivals must also cut prices
The Kinked Demand Curve explains why there is _ in an oligopoly
Price Rigidity
What happens on a Kinked Demand Curve if MC decreases or increases?
Prices don’t change
The rule of thumb existence for an oligopoly is when the five firm concentration ratio is greater than or equal to _
60%
Define - Price Fixing
A practice whereby rival companies come to an illicit agreement not to sell goods or services below a certain price
Define - Price War
A battle between two or more firms that involve the constant dropping of prices to match the drop of competitors
Define - Price Leadership
When a firm that is the leader in its sector determines the price of goods or services (illegal)
From 1973 to 1979, the price of oil increased by _ per barrel
$70
There is a risk with collusion to be exposed for _ by market regulators
Illegal Price Fixing
Give three factors favouring collusion
- Dominant firm to follow
- Barriers to entry
- Little government intervention
- Small number of firms
- Firms don’t keep secrets
- Firms have similar ACs
Give three examples of cartels
- OPEC - Oil
- De Beers - Diamond Exploration
- International Tea Producers Forum
Define - Cartel
A formal organisation of producers (oligopolists) which set prices/divide the market to maximise joint-industry profits
Give five characteristics of a cartel
- Combines firms’ MC curves and produces where MC=MR to maximise profits
- Illegal
- Firms compete typically through non-price competition
- Sometimes output quotas are set per firm
- May find it hard to share out profits
- Firms have to have similar ACs otherwise some firms may want to lower output
- If market crashes individual firms would want to reduce price
- Undermined by entry of new firms
Give two reasons for collusion
- Deter new entrants
2. Maximise joint profits
Define - Tacit Collusion
When a dominant firm in an industry becomes a price leader. Or firms agree to avoid price wars. Not explicitly colluding, but rather doing in a way that is unspoken
Define - Covert Collusion
When firms try to hide the results of their collusion and avoid detection by regulators
Define - Over Collusion
When firms form trade associations and hence collusion becomes easy to detect or trace
Define - Non-cooperative oligopoly
An oligopoly where firms compete against each other for a bigger market share
Define - Co-Operative oligopoly
An oligopoly where firms collude with each other
Give three characteristics of an Oligopoly
- Differentiated products and brand proliferation
- Price rigidity
- Avoiding price wars
- High concentration ratios (dominated by a few large firms)
- High barriers to entry (partly naturally exploited and partly imposed overtly by incumbent firms)
- Non-price competition
- Interdependence
Give three examples of non-price competition
- Advertising
- Free installation/delivery
- After-sales service
Define - Interdependence
Where firms must take into account the likely reactions of their rivals to any change in price, output or forms of non-price competition
Define - Resale Price Maintenance
A common practice for manufacturers to set a minimum price for retailers to sell their goods
Define - Bid Riggin
A form of fraud where a commercial contract is promised to one party even though for appearance several present a bid
Define - The Groceries Code
A code which aims to regulate supermarkets’ relationships with their suppliers
In 2015 what percentage of Aldi’s suppliers said that Tesco were rarely or never obeying the Groceries Supply Code of Practice?
5%
In 2015 what percentage of Tesco’s suppliers said that Tesco were rarely or never obeying the Groceries Supply Code of Practice?
34%
Give three examples of monopsonies
- Government - Military equipment
- Low-cost airlines - Aircrafts
- Amazon - Book suppliers
Give four advantages to monopsony power
- Improved value for money
- Lower prices for consumers
- Good counter weight to monopoly power
- Higher profits for producer
- More R&D capabilities
- Purchasing Economies of Scale
Give three disadvantages of monopsony power
- Suppliers get lower profits
- Suppliers have lower incomes
- Profits may not be reinvested
- Suppliers may shut down in long run leading to lower supply and higher prices
Give three characteristics of a monopsony
- Perfect information such that the buyer knows which competing sellers to exploit
- Sellers are price takers and buyers are price makers
- Output of sellers must be homogeneous, otherwise a monopsonist could not freely switch from a high price seller
- Many sellers
- Maintains positions through raising barriers to entry
Give three advantages to price discrimination
- If market segment demand is elastic consumers benefit through lower prices
- Added profits from submarkets may be greater than that of combined market (higher producer surplus)
- Satisfy shareholders
- May raise enough revenue to ensure the survival of another product or service
Give two disadvantages to price discrimination
- If market segment demand is inelastic consumers pay through higher prices
- Price discrimination is not always valid as it does not always maximise profits
Define - Third Degree Price Discrimination
Charging a different price to different consumer groups (i.e. Youth and Adult, Off-peak and Peak)
Define - Second Degree Price Discrimination
Charging a different price for different quantities, such as quantity discounts for bulk purchases (i.e. discounted tickets for empty seats on last minute flights)
Define - First Degree Price Discrimination
Occurs when a firm charges a different price for every unit consumed and thus can capture all available consumer surplus
Give three conditions required for price discrimination
- Consumers can’t buy from the lower price market and sell to the higher price market
- Firm must be a price setter
- Each market must have a different PED
Define - Price Discrimination
When a firm charges a different price to different groups of consumers for an identical good or service
Define - Cross-subsidization
The practice of charging higher prices to one group of consumers in order to subsidize lower prices for another group, increasing the range of goods available over all
Give three advantages of monopoly power
- Economies of Scale means lower AC and potentially lower prices
- There are few permanent monopolies
- Avoid undesirable duplication of goods and services
- Funds for R&D
- Can compete internationally
- May not raise prices too much in fear of government intervention
- Big firms are big employers
Give four disadvantages of monopoly power
- Mostly higher prices and lower output
- X-Inefficiency and organisational slack
- Productively inefficient
- Allocatively inefficient
- Economic rent is wasteful
- Price discrimination sometimes
Define - Economic Rent
A payment made to a factor of production (entrepreneurship) over and above what is required to keep the factor in employment
Define - Producer Surplus (Profit)
The difference between what producers are willing and able to supply a good for and the price they actually receive
Perfection Competition produces where MC=P. Drawing this on a monopoly diagram gives you an equilibrium. Then, drawing the price where MC=MR and output level gives you another equilibrium. What lines bound the area of welfare loss?
To the right of the quantity in monopoly, above the MC curves and beneath the demand curve
_ surplus is between the price, supply curve and up to quantity produced
Producer
_ surplus is between the price, demand curve and up to quantity produced
Consumer
Define - Consumer Surplus
The difference between the amount that consumers are willing and able to pay and the amount that they actually pay
In the short run and long run what is the state of the three efficiencies in a monopoly?
- P > Minimum AC and hence productively inefficient
- P > MC and hence allocatively inefficient
- Large profits grants dynamic efficiency
Give three examples of organisation slack
- Over staffing
- Inefficient production methods
- Lack of innovation
- Principal-Agent Problem
Give three examples of natural monopolies
- Water provision firms
- Land line phones
- Railway tracks
- Electricity and gas generation
Define - Natural Monopoly
A firm which experiences continually falling LRAC over a very large output range, has high setup costs, which are usually sunk costs as well
Define - Monopsony
A market structure where one firm has ultimate buying power
Define - Monopoly
A market structure where one firm has ultimate selling power
A price maker can only ever set the _ or quantity, however never both
Quantity
Pure monopolies differ from legally defined monopolies in that they have _ of the market share opposed to more than 25%
100%
Give three characteristics of a monopoly
- Maintain supernormal profits in long run
- Price discrimination
- High barriers to entry and exit
- Price maker
- Single firm
- Inelastic demand due to lack of substitutes
In a monopoly what is PED when TR is increasing, decreasing and constant?
- Increasing is where PED > 1
- Constant is where PED = 1
- Decreasing is where PED
Give three sources of monopoly power
- Control of raw materials
- Control of retail outlets
- Product differentiation
- Brand proliferation
- Barriers to entry
- Imperfect Information
In the short run what is the state of the three efficiencies in a perfectly competitive market?
- Allocatively efficient
- Can be dynamically efficient, although not drastically
- Productively inefficient
In the long run what is the state of the three efficiencies in a perfectly competitive market?
- Allocatively efficient
- Dynamically inefficient as normal profits are made
- Productively efficient
In which market is AR=D=MR?
Perfect Competition
What is a firm’s long-run supply curve?
MC above AC
What is a firm’s short-run supply curve?
MC above AVC
Give three characteristics of perfect competition
- Perfect Information
- Homogenous Goods
- All price takers
- Many firms
- No externalities
- Normal profits in long-run
- No barriers (freedom of entry and exit)
Why, if profits are being made in the short run, are normal profits made in the long run in perfect competition?
Because they are price takers they take the market price. If there are supernormal profits and no barriers to entry, firms will enter the market increasing market supply and lowering market price up until P is tangential to AC
Why, if losses are being made in the short run, are normal profits made in the long run in perfect competition?
Because they are price takers they take the market price. If there are losses and no barriers to exit, firms will leave the market decreasing market supply and raising market price up until P is tangential to AC
In the UK give an industry which has a five-firm concentration ratio below 10%
- Metal Forging
In the UK give an industry which has a five-firm concentration ratio above 70%
- Sugar
- Tobacco
- Gas Distribution
A problem with concentration ratios is that given two equal ratios, the makeup of the market share could be _
Different
Aside from an oligopoly, an extremely high n-firm concentration ratio is likely to indicate a _ market
Monopolistic