Economics Long-Run Equilibrium Quiz
43 Questions
0 Views

Choose a study mode

Play Quiz
Study Flashcards
Spaced Repetition
Chat to Lesson

Podcast

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson

Questions and Answers

What condition indicates that firms are earning zero profits in the long-run equilibrium?

  • Demand exceeds average cost
  • Marginal cost is greater than average revenue
  • Demand is tangent to the average cost curve (correct)
  • Average cost equals marginal cost
  • What does the equilibrium price in this scenario denote?

  • The market price at which firms can make positive profits
  • The minimum average cost of production
  • The price at which firms face no competition
  • The price at which average cost equals marginal cost (correct)
  • In the given long-run equilibrium scenario, what happens to firms making positive profits?

  • They are likely to exit the industry (correct)
  • They increase production until demand increases
  • They lower their prices to match costs
  • They continue at the same output level indefinitely
  • What role does the marginal cost play in determining the position of the demand curve in this scenario?

    <p>It reflects the average revenue firms earn (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the demand curve d1 indicate in comparison to d0?

    <p>d1 is more elastic and flatter than d0 (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the long-run equilibrium without trade, what happens to monopoly profits?

    <p>Firms earn zero monopoly profits (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What occurs when trade opens between Home and Foreign?

    <p>The number of customers for each firm doubles (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the outcome for firms expecting to earn profits at point B when trade opens?

    <p>Firms find themselves making losses at point B’ (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does the introduction of trade affect the number of firms in the market?

    <p>The number of firms doubles (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is indicated by the price PA in long-run equilibrium without trade?

    <p>It equals average cost (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a characteristic of the short-run equilibrium with trade?

    <p>Firms charge a uniform price (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary reason for trade according to the new model of intra-industry trade?

    <p>Economies of scale that prevent complete production of goods by individual countries. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the context of intra-industry trade, which statement best describes the nature of goods involved?

    <p>Goods are highly differentiated and include various varieties of the same product. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one of the main predictions of the model regarding larger countries and trade?

    <p>Larger countries tend to trade more, reflecting the gravity equation of trade. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does intra-industry trade benefit domestic consumers?

    <p>By increasing the variety of goods available while lowering production levels. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Under what market condition does the new model of intra-industry trade operate?

    <p>Monopolistic competition characterized by several firms producing differentiated products. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does intra-industry trade allow countries to achieve in terms of productivity?

    <p>Higher productivity by producing fewer varieties at larger scales. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What concept explains that countries trade different varieties of the same good?

    <p>Intra-industry trade. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why do economies of scale contribute to intra-industry trade?

    <p>They allow countries to specialize and produce larger quantities of fewer goods. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a characteristic of firms in a monopolistic competition setting?

    <p>Each firm produces a variety of a differentiated good. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How do firms in monopolistic competition behave, regarding price?

    <p>They behave as monopolists for their specific variety. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What distinguishes monopolistic competition from perfect competition?

    <p>There are several firms, each offering a differentiated product. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In monopolistic competition, how is the demand experienced by each firm affected?

    <p>Demand is downward-sloping for the specific variety produced by the firm. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What condition is necessary for a market to be classified as operating under perfect competition?

    <p>There must be a large number of buyers with complete information. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the context of monopolistic competition, what is the significance of the assumption that firms produce different varieties?

    <p>It allows firms to secure a monopolistic position over their product variety. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happens to the demand faced by individual firms as the number of firms in monopolistic competition increases?

    <p>Each firm's demand decreases as they share the market demand. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the relationship between marginal revenue and marginal cost in a monopolistic market?

    <p>Firms maximize profits when marginal revenue equals marginal cost. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happens to firms in the industry enjoying monopoly profits when prices drop to P2?

    <p>They will incur losses and some will go bankrupt. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    At what point does a firm achieve equilibrium in the short-run when trade is involved?

    <p>When MR equals MC. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the consequence for firms that sell at a price below average cost (AC)?

    <p>They will face incurred losses and potential exit from the market. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does trade influence the pricing behavior of firms in an industry?

    <p>It forces some firms to lower their prices to remain competitive. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the demand curve D/N indicate about the elasticity of demand in this context?

    <p>It is elastic. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    During the short-run equilibrium with trade, how are firms positioned in terms of profits?

    <p>Some firms make monopoly profits while others incur losses. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the figure illustrate about firm behavior when reaching point Q2?

    <p>Firms incur losses and will consider exiting the industry. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What could be a long-run effect of firms exiting the industry due to losses?

    <p>Reduction in total supply, potentially stabilizing prices. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happens to the number of firms in an industry when trade is introduced?

    <p>It increases. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following statements is true regarding prices in long-run equilibrium with trade?

    <p>Prices are lower than without trade. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In long-run equilibrium without trade, what is the relationship between the quantities produced Q3 and Q1?

    <p>Q3 is greater than Q1. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main impact of the exit of some firms in long-run equilibrium with trade?

    <p>It leads to an increase in the remaining firms' output. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does intra-industry trade affect the variety of products available to consumers?

    <p>It increases the variety of products. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the context of intra-industry trade, what is a characteristic of the remaining firms after some exit?

    <p>They operate with lower production costs. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the formula that indicates the relationship between the number of firms in trade and no trade?

    <p>2NT &gt; NA (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What occurs to the average cost (AC) of production in long-run equilibrium with trade compared to without trade?

    <p>AC decreases due to economies of scale. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Flashcards

    Intra-industry Trade

    A type of trade where countries exchange goods within the same industry, like cars or electronics.

    Economies of Scale

    The idea that as a company produces more of a good, the cost per unit decreases.

    Monopolistic Competition

    A market structure where many firms sell similar but differentiated products, with some price-setting power.

    Differentiated Goods

    Goods within the same industry but with slightly different features, like different car models.

    Signup and view all the flashcards

    New Trade Theory Model

    A trade model explaining trade based on economies of scale and imperfect competition, leading to trade in different varieties within industries.

    Signup and view all the flashcards

    Gravity Equation of Trade

    The idea that larger countries tend to trade more, due to factors like greater potential market size and economies of scale.

    Signup and view all the flashcards

    Gains from Intra-industry Trade

    Extra benefits from trading different varieties within an industry, beyond those from traditional comparative advantage.

    Signup and view all the flashcards

    Increased Range of Choice

    The ability of a country to produce fewer varieties of goods at a larger scale, benefiting from economies of scale and offering more variety to consumers.

    Signup and view all the flashcards

    Long-run equilibrium without trade

    In a no-trade situation, firms produce at a quantity where price equals average cost (AC), leading to zero profits. This means there's no incentive for firms to enter or exit the market.

    Signup and view all the flashcards

    Short-run equilibrium without trade

    In a no-trade situation, firms produce at a quantity where marginal revenue (mr) equals marginal cost (MC). This is a short-term equilibrium, and the price is higher than the long-run equilibrium price due to limited competition.

    Signup and view all the flashcards

    Impact of Trade on Firm Demand

    When trade opens, firms face a larger market with more customers. Even though the number of firms doubles, the demand curve for individual firms becomes flatter (more elastic), indicating increased competition.

    Signup and view all the flashcards

    Price Reduction in Trade

    With increased competition from foreign firms, each domestic firm lowers its price to increase sales and potentially gain profits. However, due to the flatter demand curve, the price reduction leads to lower profits for all companies, even with increased sales.

    Signup and view all the flashcards

    Short-run equilibrium with trade

    When trade opens, firms initially lower prices expecting profits, but ultimately they end up making losses. This is because the price reduction isn't sufficient to offset the increased competition from more firms and the lower demand due to more variety.

    Signup and view all the flashcards

    Identical Home and Foreign Countries

    The situation where a country has the same number of consumers, technology, and cost curves as another country, and both have the same number of firms in the no-trade equilibrium.

    Signup and view all the flashcards

    Downward-Sloping Demand for a Variety

    A firm in monopolistic competition faces a downward-sloping demand curve for its specific variety because it has some power to set prices due to product differentiation. However, this power is limited by the competition from other firms offering similar varieties.

    Signup and view all the flashcards

    Monopoly Behavior with Competition

    Monopolistic competition allows firms to act as price setters within a certain range, but the presence of other firms producing similar varieties still restricts their monopoly power. This is because if a firm raises its price too much, consumers might switch to a competitor's variety.

    Signup and view all the flashcards

    Price Taker in Perfect Competition

    In perfect competition, firms have no control over prices and cannot choose their output levels, as the market price is determined by forces beyond individual firm control.

    Signup and view all the flashcards

    Demand Divided By N

    The demand each firm faces in a monopolistic competition is a fraction of the total industry demand, with the fraction being the number of firms in the market (N). For example, if there are 2 firms in the market, each firm faces half of the total demand.

    Signup and view all the flashcards

    Easy Entry in Monopolistic Competition

    In monopolistic competition, new firms can easily enter the market due to minimal barriers and generate revenue from their unique product offerings. This creates competition within the market, influencing pricing, supply, and demand.

    Signup and view all the flashcards

    Product Differentiation

    In a monopolistically competitive market, the firms' products are similar but not identical, allowing for a degree of differentiation in pricing and marketing strategies. This differentiation provides firms with a measure of control over their market share.

    Signup and view all the flashcards

    Complete Information

    Monopolistic competition typically involves complete information, implying that both buyers and sellers possess full knowledge about the market conditions and product offerings. This transparency facilitates informed decisions and efficient market operations.

    Signup and view all the flashcards

    Long-Run Equilibrium with Trade

    In the long run, firms making losses in an industry will exit, leading to higher prices and less competition.

    Signup and view all the flashcards

    Increased Market Share

    When firms exit because of losses, the remaining firms gain market share and can charge higher prices, capturing more profits.

    Signup and view all the flashcards

    Increased Production

    After firms exit, the remaining firms produce more, leading to lower costs per unit due to economies of scale.

    Signup and view all the flashcards

    Industry Concentration

    When firms exit, the industry becomes more concentrated with fewer, larger firms, potentially leading to less competition and higher prices.

    Signup and view all the flashcards

    New Long-Run Equilibrium

    In the long run, the exit of firms leads to a new equilibrium with higher prices and a more concentrated industry structure.

    Signup and view all the flashcards

    Higher Profits

    Profits are higher for the remaining firms in the industry, as they control a larger portion of the market and can charge higher prices.

    Signup and view all the flashcards

    Reduced Competition

    With fewer firms, the remaining firms face less competition, giving them more power to set prices and profit.

    Signup and view all the flashcards

    Industry Restructuring

    The process of firms exiting an industry due to losses, leading to a new long-run equilibrium with higher prices and less competition.

    Signup and view all the flashcards

    Why is NT < NA in long-run equilibrium with trade?

    This type of equilibrium occurs when, through trade, a country specializes in a narrower range of goods within an industry, allowing it to produce more of each variety and benefit from economies of scale. This is the case when the number of firms in the industry after trade (NT) is less than the initial number of firms (NA) before trade.

    Signup and view all the flashcards

    Why is the demand curve tangent to average cost in long-run equilibrium?

    Due to the competitive nature of the industry, firms set their prices at the level of their average cost (AC) to maximize their profits. When the demand curve is tangent to the average cost curve, firms earn zero economic profits.

    Signup and view all the flashcards

    How is the equilibrium price, pW, determined?

    The equilibrium price (pW) is reached when the demand curve intersects the marginal cost (MC) curve. This is where each firm produces the output level that optimizes its profit. The trade opens up new markets, leading to a lower price compared to pre-trade conditions.

    Signup and view all the flashcards

    What are the key features of long-run equilibrium with trade?

    In the long-run equilibrium, with the entry and exit of firms, the market reaches a state where the price is equal to the average cost, and each firm earns zero economic profits. Trade, in this context, leads to specialization and a reduction in the number of firms in the industry.

    Signup and view all the flashcards

    Greater Variety with Trade

    In a situation with free trade, the number of firms within an industry in each country becomes greater than the original number of firms before trade, implying a larger variety of goods for consumers.

    Signup and view all the flashcards

    Increased Production with Trade

    With trade, each firm is able to produce a larger quantity of goods than before trade, allowing them to take advantage of economies of scale and lower production costs.

    Signup and view all the flashcards

    Lower Prices with Trade

    International trade leads to a lower price for the goods in the market compared to the pre-trade scenario. This occurs due to increased competition and the utilization of economies of scale.

    Signup and view all the flashcards

    Firms Exit, But Variety Remains

    Even after some firms exit the market due to increased competition, the total number of firms (and the variety of goods) in the market will still be higher than before trade.

    Signup and view all the flashcards

    2NT > NA

    The total number of firms with trade is greater than twice the number of firms in each country before trade, representing a significant increase in competition and variety.

    Signup and view all the flashcards

    Zero Profits in No-Trade

    The long-run equilibrium without trade features a price equal to average cost, leading to zero profits. Firms have no incentive to enter or exit the market in this situation.

    Signup and view all the flashcards

    Intra-Industry Trade Explained

    The presence of economies of scale and imperfect competition, which is a situation where firms have some control over prices, leads to intra-industry trade. This trade is characterized by the exchange of similar, but differentiated goods within the same industry.

    Signup and view all the flashcards

    Study Notes

    World Economics - Chapter 6: Intra-Industry Trade

    • Chapter 6, Intra-industry Trade: Economies of Scale and Imperfect Competition, analyzes trade in scenarios of monopolistic competition.
    • The chapter examines different equilibrium types, both short-run and long-run, in the presence (and absence) of trade, and includes empirical examples.
    • Core topics for analysis include the index of Intra-Industry Trade and the Gravity Equation of Trade.
    • Relevant references include Feenstra, Robert C., and Alan M. Taylor, International Trade, Economics (MacMillan, 2017, 4th Edition).

    Chapter Structure and Content

    • The chapter begins with an introduction.
    • It will then delve into the economic theory behind trade models under monopolistic competition and increasing returns, providing specifics.
    • Finally, the chapter investigates the empirical implications of monopolistic competition and trade using empirical applications, such as trade indexes and the Gravity Equation of Trade.

    Intra-Industry Trade

    • Intra-industry trade plays a significant role in international trade, exemplifying countries that export and import the same kinds of products within an industry (e.g., cars, wine, computers, golf clubs).
    • This phenomenon requires a different explanation than typical comparative advantage-based models, which often focus on inter-industry trade.

    Key Assumptions for Trade Models

    • Assumption 1 (Differentiated goods): Each firm produces a variety of differentiated goods (product variety) which are imperfect substitutes for each other, unlike homogeneous goods. This creates downward-sloping firm demand curves.
    • Assumption 2 (Many Firms): The industry has many (at least two ≥ 2) firms.
    • Assumption 3 (Economies of Scale): Average costs decrease as quantity produced increases, fueled by fixed costs like initial investments for machinery or research.
    • Assumption 4 (Free Entry and Exit): Firms freely enter and leave the industry in response to profits, guaranteeing long-run zero-average profits across the industry.
    • Assumption 5 (Love for Variety): Consumers desire variety/mixed bundles of both domestic and foreign products.

    Equilibrium analysis in a No-Trade Scenario

    • Firms behave as monopolists in a no-trade scenario, maximizing profits where marginal revenue equals marginal cost.
    • Short-run equilibrium, shown in Figure 6.4, reveals that profits will exist because price > average cost.
    • Long-run equilibrium, shown in Figure 6.5, establishes a new equilibrium as these profits attract further entry into the market, driving average profits down to zero when the demand curve (facing each firm) becomes tangent to marginal cost.

    Equilibrium analysis with Trade

    • When countries trade, the initial demand facing each firm expands by twice its initial customer base.
    • The new short-run equilibrium (Figure 6.6) demonstrates that, despite the increase in the customer base, each firm's individual demand is now flatter due to increased competition. This dynamic often results in losses for the firms.
    • Ultimately, the long-run trade equilibrium (Figure 6.7) results in firms exiting the market until the new equilibrium number of firms (NT) is less than the non-trade equilibrium number (NA). The resulting lower number of firms and prices generate a more favorable environment for consumers due to the increased variety and lower prices.

    The Gravity Equation of Trade

    • The model anticipates larger countries and those geographically closer (e.g., nearby states or countries) engaging in greater trade.
    • This prediction is supported by empirical evidence, measuring the impact of GDP and distance on trade flows to predict trade volumes.

    Empirical Applications and Data

    • Datasets (tables and graphs) in the text show intra-industry trade indexes for a variety of countries and products over time.
    • Examples are discussed for trade between the US states and Canadian provinces, Spanish trade and other countries.
    • The data supports the existence of a strong relationship between a country's size, proximity to others, and the volume of their trade.

    Studying That Suits You

    Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.

    Quiz Team

    Related Documents

    Description

    Test your understanding of long-run equilibrium in economics. This quiz covers essential concepts such as profit conditions, market dynamics, and the impact of trade on firms and prices. Dive into the nuances of equilibrium price and marginal cost relationships.

    More Like This

    Long Run vs
    5 questions

    Long Run vs

    TerrificSerpentine404 avatar
    TerrificSerpentine404
    Monopolistic Competition Quiz
    5 questions
    Monopolistic Competition Quiz
    5 questions
    Long Run Equilibrium in Perfect Competition
    22 questions
    Use Quizgecko on...
    Browser
    Browser