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Showing posts with the label Oligopoly

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

Monopolistic Competition and Barriers to Entry: Some Notes

  Economic theory advocates competition for social welfare. As the completive intensity increases, there is an increasing rush to reduce prices. Firms reduce price till such a point of time wherein their marginal costs are equated to the prices. In a perfect competition, the firms have control over the output but have no control on the price. They are price takers, in other words, prices are determined by the market. This is so because of the homogeneity of the product thus negating the possibility of differentiation. Furthermore, in perfectly competitive world, the barriers of entry are nil. If there arises the existence of supernormal profit, other prospective suppliers are attracted by this possibility thus planning their entry into the market. As new players enter into the market, the output increases. Implied is an increase in the goods being offered for sale relative to the demand for goods. The imbalances thus created in supply and demand make firms reduce price which will proce