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Firm
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entry that converts inputs into outputs
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capital firm
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durable goods used in the production of other goods
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fixed input
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quantity won't change as output changes
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variable input
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quantity changes as output changes
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output
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good/service sold to consumers
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short run
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at least one factor of production is fixed (can't change)
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long run
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all factors of production can be varied
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production of function
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relationship the quantities of inputs a firm uses + max quantity output it produces
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total product (tp) = q
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increases w/increase in the number of factors used (to a point)
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average product (ap)
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total output divided by number of inputs
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marginal product (mp)
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change in output occurs when one add. unit of input is added (slope of tp)
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total product curve (tpc)
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slopes upwards b/c more outputs produced as more workers are employed
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law of diminishing marginal product
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add. units of variable inputs are added, eventually the mp of the variable input declines
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MPL > APL
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increasing
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MPL < APL
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decreasing
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MPL = APL
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max value
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explicit cost
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opportunity cost of production requires monetary payment
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implicit cost
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opportunity cost of production doesn't require monetary payment
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economic profit
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total revenue (tr) - (explicit cost + implicit costs)
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accounting profit
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total revenue (tr) - explicit cost
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fixed cost (fc)
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doesn't change w/amount firm produce
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variable cost (vc)
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does change w/amount firm produce
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total cost (tc)
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specific number of output is the sum of fixed cost + variable cost of that quantity of output (tc = fc + vc)
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marginal cost (mc)
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additional cost (ac) of producing the last unit of output
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average fixed cost (afc)
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fixed cost per unit output
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average variable cost (avc)
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variable cost per unit output
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average total cost (atc)
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total cost per unit output
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marginal < average
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average decreasing
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marginal > average
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average increasing
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marginal = average
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atc at minimal level
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atc curve
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u-shaped
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spreading effect
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as output increases, fc spread over more units of quantity
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diminishing returns effect
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mc rises, pulling up avc
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scale increase
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proportional increase in inputs
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constant return to scale (crs)
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increase in input leads to same proportional increase output
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increase return to scale (irs)
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increasing all input levels leads to greater proportional
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decrease return to scale (drs)
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increase in inputs lead to proportionally smaller increase in output
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economic scale (es)
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long run ac falls as output decreases
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constant economies of scale (ces)
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long run atc stays the same as quantity of output changes
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diseconomies of scale (des)
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long run atc rises by increasing output
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perfect competition (pc)
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a market structure in which a large number of firms all produce the same product
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numerous buyers + sellers
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they're many buyers + sellers in perfectly competitive market
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free entry + exit into + from market
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produces enter the market when its profitable and exit when it's unprofitable
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Price takers
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buyers and sellers must accept the price the market determines
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mr = mc
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to max profit, firm will produce
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mr = price = mc
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perfectly competitve markets profit max condition
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breakeven price
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price taking firm is marketing price at which earns zero econ profit
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zero econ profit in the long run
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perfectly competitive firms earn zero in long run due to free entry + exit to the market
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pure monopoly
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market w/single seller whose product has no close substitute
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monopolist profit
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tr - tc = (Pm - ATCm) x Qm
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barrier to entry
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control of scarce resource/input
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legal barriers
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govt. grants firm exclusive right to serve in given area
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price discrimination
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monopolist (price setter) can change different prices to different consumers for the same good
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perfect price discrimination
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monopolist chares consumer his/her willingness to pay (max price each is willing to pay)
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advance purchase restriction (apr)
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prices are lower for those who purchase well in advance
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advantage of price discrimination
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more profit for producers
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disadvantages of price discrimination
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interest of producers
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game theory
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models the behavior of interdependent firm (oligopolists)
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interdependence
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each firm's decision significantly affects profit of other firms
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player
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decision maker
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rules
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simultaneous, sequential
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strategies
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possible courses of action for each player
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payoffs
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reward received by player in game (profit)
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nash equilibrium
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each player chooses action that's best for them given the action of other players + reach same payoff matrix cell (game theory)
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tit for a tat strategy
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most effective to promote cooperation
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oligopoly
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A market structure in which a few large firms dominate a market
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duopoly
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oligopoly with two firms
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non cooperative oligopoly
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each firm makes decisions about output + price independently
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cooperative oligopoly
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decisions are made jointly, 2 or more firms act together
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cartel
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strongest form of collusion
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if oligopoly collude
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wants to act like monopoly; produce monopoly output, charge monopoly price, split monopoly profit
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repeat interaction overtime
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tit for a tat strategy
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easy to monitor other firms
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good info concern prices + output levels
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little product differentiation
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easier to maintain if selling "same" product
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entry by non colluding firms is difficult
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firm successfully conclude collectively hold high market share
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merge
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some firms merge into single entity to avoid cheating
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monopolistic competition (mc)
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market structure that's a little like monopoly + a little like perfect competition
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product differentiation (pd)
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only way firms can acquire some market power
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style/type, location, quality
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important forms of product differentiation
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economic of advertising
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monopolistically competitive firm engages in advertising to increase demand for its products + enhance its market power