Posts

Showing posts with the label De Beers

Decision Making as Output and Bounded Rationality

  The classical economics theories proceed on the assumption of rational agents. Rationality implies the economic agents undertake actions or exercise choices based on the cost-benefit analysis they undertake. The assumption further posits that there exists no information asymmetry and thus the agent is aware of all the costs and benefits associated with the choice he or she has exercised. The behavioral school contested the decision stating the decisions in practice are often irrational. Implied there is a continuous departure from rationality. Rationality in the views of the behavioral school is more an exception to the norm rather a rule. The past posts have discussed the limitations of this view by the behavioral school. Economics has often posited rationality in the context in which the choices are exercised rather than theoretical abstract view of rational action. Rational action in theory seems to be grounded in zero restraint situation yet in practice, there are numerous restra

Controlling the Essential Resource and Firm Monopoly

  Economic theory begins with the proposition that firms compete in the market on prices. If a firm were to offer higher prices than its competitor, the buyer will shift to those competitors who are offering the lowest price. Therefore, the sales would be nil if the competitor charges higher prices than their rivals. If one firm lowers the price, all firms will follow suit, yet if one firm increases its prices, the others would not follow suit. The assumption of course is the goods are homogenous. There is no differentiation. Therefore, in this scenario of perfect competition, the firms become the price taker with the market setting the price. The firms have control over the output they produce but no control over the price. Yet the firms will seek to control the price.   In absence of control over the price, the firms might not be in a position to gain and sustain supernormal profits in the long run. This is due to the absence in barriers of entry and exit. The presence of superno