Perfect Competition Essay example - 1950 Words

Perfect Competition Perfect competition is an idealised market structure theory used in economics to show the market under a high degree of competition given certain conditions. This essay aims to outline the assumptions and distinctive features that form the perfectly competitive model and how this model can be used to explain short term and long term behaviour of a perfectly competitive firm aiming to maximise profits and the implications of enhancing these profits further. In a perfectly competitive market each firm is a â€Å"Price Taker† , i.e. the prices and wages are determined by the market and the firm is so small relative to the size of the market that they can have no influence over the market price. For a market to be†¦show more content†¦This is also linked into the behaviour of the buyers in the market. Buyers are also price takers because they can purchase as much as they wish without influencing the market price. The final assumption is important when considering the long term equilibrium price of a firm in perfect competition. This assumption is that entry into the market is free and that there are no barriers to entry. Any costs incurred are incurred by all of the suppliers; an entrant will pay no additional cost for entering the firm. In the short run the perfect competition equilibrium can be found by graphing the marginal cost (MC), average total cost (ATC) and marginal revenue (MR) curves. In perfect competition the price is equal to the average revenue, which is equal to the marginal revenue and these are all constant, giving an infinitely elastic demand curve for the firm. The demand curve is â€Å"perfectly price elastic† due to the homogeneity of the products supplied, where each supplier, as a price taker, must focus on a single price. Given this, the only choice a supplier has in the short run is how much to produce. For profit maximisation to occur marginal costs (supply curve) must equal marginal revenue (demand curve). Profit maximisation is assumed to mean the maximisation of normal economic profit (i.e. revenue that covers theShow MoreRelatedPerfect Competition2278 Words   |  10 PagesPure Competition ANSWERS TO END-OF-CHAPTER QUESTIONS 21-1 Briefly state the basic characteristics of pure competition, pure monopoly, monopolistic competition, and oligopoly. Under which of these market classifications does each of the following most accurately fit? (a) a supermarket in your hometown; (b) the steel industry; (c) a Kansas wheat farm; (d) the commercial bank in which you or your family has an account; (e) the automobile industry. In each case justify your classification. Pure competition:Read MorePerfect Competition and Monopoly1722 Words   |  7 PagesQuestion 3 Perfect Competition and Monopoly (a) I. Explain perfect competition and monopoly market structures, and identify the key factors that distinguish them. Perfect Competition Market In economic theory, the perfect competition is a market form in which no producer or consumer has the power to influence prices in the market. According to the website wordIQ.com, in order to classify the market is a perfect competition market, the market must match below criteria: 1. ThereRead MoreCompetition : Perfect Competition Is An Economic Concept Essay1157 Words   |  5 Pages Question 7 Perfect competition: Perfect competition is an economic concept, there are lots of seller’s sells homogeneous products in the market and there are many buyers. There are no barriers to enter into the market. Furthermore both the buyers and sellers have good information regarding price so that sellers can offer a competitive price to the buyers and also buyers can compare the price to have the best choice. 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Still, buyers and sellers in some  auction-type markets, say for  commodities  or some financial assets, may approximate the concept. Perfect competition serves as a benchmark against which to measureRead MoreThe Market For Textbooks Is Characterized By Perfect Competition2279 Words   |  10 Pagesmarket for textbooks is characterized by perfect competition. In economic theory, perfect competition in the market applies where none of the participants has the market power of setting a price of a homogeneous (identical) product. Basically, a perfectly competitive market exists when every participant is a â€Å"price taker† and cannot influence the price of the product it buys or sells. There are certain characteristics which describe the perfect competition, however the conditions are strict and someRead MoreWhy perfect competition is the best market structure2301 Words   |  9 Pagesï » ¿ Why perfect competition Executive Summary This report provides information related to the four main market structures and why perfect competition is the most efficient. Features of four market structures and comparison of monopoly and perfect competition. Perfect completion is most efficient Subject matter Details Conclusions Introduction Market structure is best defined as the organizational and other characteristicsRead MoreBusiness Analysis : Perfect Competition1466 Words   |  6 Pagesthese important questions that will help the mayor understand the structures of many of the businesses in his city: Describe each market structure discussed in the course (perfect competition, monopolistic competition, oligopoly, and monopoly) and discuss two of the market characteristics of each market structure. Perfect competition describes a marketplace that no one participant can set the market price of an exchangeable product. This is generally considered an ideal, rarely found in markets todayRead MoreWhat Is Perfect Competition Promotes Market Efficiencies1670 Words   |  7 PagesMarkets are typically divided into four sectors; perfect competition, pure monopolies, monopolistic competition and oligopolies. There are two factors that influence which sector an industry fits into, one being the number of competing firms and the other being barriers to entry. Commensurate with these are different pricing options and strategies undertaken by various firms to reach optimal profit maximization. Altogether, each market contains specific intricacies which effect supply and demandRead MorePerfect Competition vs Monopoly1378 Words   |  6 PagesMS (perfect competition) Vs Thames Water (monopoly) At one end is perfect competition where there are very many firms competing against each other. Every firm is so tiny in relation to the entire trade that has no power to manipulate price. It is a ‘price taker’. At the other end is monopoly, where there is just a single firm in the industry, and for this reason no competition from inside the industry. Perfect competition e.g. Marks Spencer, they have many competitors such as, Asda, Next