ECON 001A Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Monopolistic Competition

1 How does monopolistic competition differ from the pure competition in its basic characteristics? From pure monopoly? Explain fully what product differentiation may involve. Please explain how the entry of firms into its industry affects the demand curve facing a monopolistic competitor and how that, in turn, affects its economic profit.

2 "Competition in quality and service may be just as effective as price competition in giving buyers more for their money." Do you agree? Why? Explain why monopolistically competitive firms frequently prefer nonprice to price competition.

3 Critically evaluate and explain:
a. In monopolistically competitive industries, economic profits compete away in the long run; hence, there is no valid reason to criticize such industries' performance and efficiency.
b. In the long run, monopolistic competition leads to a monopolistic price but not to monopolistic profits.

1. Which market structure is characterized by a few interdependent firms?

A) Monopoly.

B) Perfect competition.

C) Monopolist competition.

D) Oligopoly.

2. The correct ranking (put in order) of the degree of market power (from highest to lowest) is

A) Monopoly, monopolistic competition, perfect competition, oligopoly

B) Monopoly, monopolistic competition, oligopoly, perfect competition.

C) Monopoly, oligopoly, monopolistic competition, perfect competition.

D) Oligopoly, monopoly, monopolistic competition, perfect competition.

3. The term monopolistic competition

A) is an alternate expression for monopoly

B) is used to describe perfect competition with strong entry barriers.

C) denotes an industry with one seller of many differentiated products

D) denotes an industry with many sellers of differentiated products.

The complexity in the ability of the firms to engage in nonprice competition under the monopolistic competition market structure is attributed to:

A.) the assumption of a given product and a given level of advertising expenditure.

B.)the assumption of a given price and quality of the product.

C.)the assumption of a given marginal revenue.

D.) the assumption of a given number of competitors.