a firm's profitability is maximized when it: course hero

by Kameron Schmeler 6 min read

What is profit maximizing profit maximization?

Profit Maximization. The monopolist's profit maximizing level of output is found by equating its marginal revenue with its marginal cost, which is the same profit maximizing condition that a perfectly competitive firm uses to determine its equilibrium level of output. Indeed, the condition that marginal revenue equal marginal cost is used to ...

How do you find the profit maximizing level of output?

Profit Maximization. The monopolist's profit maximizing level of output is found by equating its marginal revenue with its marginal cost, which is the same profit maximizing condition that a perfectly competitive firm uses to determine its equilibrium level of output.

When is a firm said to make normal profits?

A firm is said to make normal profits when its economic profits are zero. The fact that economic profits are zero implies that the firm's reserves are enough to cover the firm's explicit costs and all of its implicit costs, such as the rent that could be earned on the firm's building or the salary the owner of the firm could earn elsewhere.

What is the profit maximisation of an organisation under imperfect competition?

In the long run, the profits are similar to the way generated in perfect competition. Therefore, an organisation maximises its profit by equalising its marginal revenue and marginal costs. Figure 5 shows the profit maximisation of an organisation under imperfect competition:

How to find monopolist's profit maximizing level of output?

How does a monopolist determine marginal revenue?

Do monopolists incur short run losses?

Is a supply curve independent of a monopolist's supply curve?

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Profit Maximization Theory & Formula - Study.com

Calculating Profit Maximization. Take a look at how this formula can be used to maximize profits for a company: If the margin on a product is 20% and the total cost for production is $1 million ...

Monopoly Profit Maximization: How Monopolists Maximize Profit

Monopoly profit maximization occurs when monopolistic firms equate marginal cost to marginal revenue and solve for product price and quantity demanded.

What is the equilibrium point at which the organisation maximises its profit in perfect competition?

Thus, the equilibrium point at which the organisation maximises its profit in perfect competition is at the output rate Q.

What is profit maximization?

According to conventional economists, profit maximization is the only objective of organisations, making it as the base of conventional theories. It is also regarded as the most reasonable and productive business objective of an organisation.

How does an organisation maximise its profit?

Therefore, an organisation maximises its profit by equalising its marginal revenue and marginal costs. Figure 5 shows the profit maximisation of an organisation under imperfect competition:

How is profit maximising output determined?

Thus, the profit-maximising output is determined at the point where extra revenue obtained by selling the last unit becomes equal to the marginal cost incurred in the production of that unit. Figure 2 shows the profit maximisation under perfect competition:

What is the long run?

Long run can be described as the time period in which all the inputs are variable. Similar to profit maximisation in the short run, organisations maximise profits under perfect competition and imperfect competition. Let us study about the profit maximisation in these two market structures: Under Perfect Competition.

What is marginal revenue?

Marginal revenue can be defined as the revenue generated from sale of the last unit of output, on the other hand, marginal cost can be described as the cost incurred in the production of one additional unit of output. Both TR and TC functions involve a common variable, which is output level (Q).

How long is a short run?

For example, service industries can attain profit in two weeks after operations. In this case, two weeks can be considered as short run.

How to find monopolist's profit maximizing level of output?

The monopolist's profit maximizing level of output is found by equating its marginal revenue with its marginal cost, which is the same profit maximizing condition that a perfectly competitive firm uses to determine its equilibrium level of output. Indeed, the condition that marginal revenue equal marginal cost is used to determine the profit maximizing level of output of every firm, regardless of the market structure in which the firm is operating.

How does a monopolist determine marginal revenue?

In order to determine marginal revenue, the monopolist must know market demand. Therefore, the monopolist's market supply will not be independent of market demand. Previous Demand in a Monopolistic Market.

Do monopolists incur short run losses?

Monopolists, like perfectly competitive firms, can also incur losses in the short‐run. Monopolists will experience short‐run losses whenever average total costs exceed the price that the monopolist can charge at the profit maximizing level of output. Absence of a monopoly supply curve.

Is a supply curve independent of a monopolist's supply curve?

Absence of a monopoly supply curve. In Figure , there is no representation of the monopolist's supply curve. In fact, the monopolist's supply schedule cannot be depicted as a supply curve that is independent of the market demand curve. Whereas a perfectly competitive firm's supply curve is equal to a portion of its marginal cost curve, the monopolist's supply decisions do not depend on marginal cost alone. The monopolist looks at both the marginal cost and the marginal revenue that it receives at each price level. In order to determine marginal revenue, the monopolist must know market demand. Therefore, the monopolist's market supply will not be independent of market demand.

When marginal cost lies below average cost, average cost is falling?

When marginal cost lies above average cost, average cost is rising . It follows, then, that the marginal cost curve will intersect the average variable and average total cost curves at each of these curves' minimum points.

What is the primary objective of a firm in producing output?

The firm's primary objective in producing output is to maximize profits. The production of output, however, involves certain costs that reduce the profits a firm can make. The relationship between costs and profits is therefore critical to the firm's determination of how much output to produce.

What is the relationship between marginal cost and total and variable cost curves?

Second, note the relationship between the marginal cost curve and the total and variable cost curves. The marginal cost curve reaches its minimum at the inflection point of the total and variable cost curves. This should not be surprising because the slope of the total and variable cost curves reveals the rate at which the firm's costs change as output increases, which is precisely what marginal cost measures.

What does it mean when economic profits are zero?

The fact that economic profits are zero implies that the firm's reserves are enough to cover the firm's explicit costs and all of its implicit costs, such as the rent that could be earned on the firm's building or the salary the owner of the firm could earn elsewhere.

What is the difference between economic and accounting profits?

Thus, the difference between economic profits and accounting profits is that economic profits include the firm's implicit costs and accounting profits do not. A firm is said to make normal profits when its economic profits are zero.

How is marginal cost related to marginal product?

The firm's marginal cost is related to its marginal product. If one calculates the change in total cost for each different level of total product reported and divides by the corresponding marginal product of labor reported, one arrives at the marginal cost figure. The marginal cost falls at first, then starts to rise. This behavior is a consequence of the relationship between marginal cost and marginal product and the law of diminishing returns. As the marginal product of the variable input–labor– rises, the firm's total product incresses at a rate that is greater than the rate of new workers hired. Consequently, the firm's marginal costs will be decreasing. Eventually, however, by the law of diminishing returns, the marginal product of the variable factor will begin to decline; the firm's total product will increase at a rate less than the rate at which new workers are hired. The result is that the firm's marginal costs will begin rising.

What is the difference between explicit and implicit costs?

The difference between explicit and implicit costs is crucial to understanding the difference between accounting profits and economic profits. Accounting profits are the firm's total revenues from sales of its output, minus the firm's explicit costs. Economic profits are total revenues minus explicit and implicit costs.

How to find monopolist's profit maximizing level of output?

The monopolist's profit maximizing level of output is found by equating its marginal revenue with its marginal cost, which is the same profit maximizing condition that a perfectly competitive firm uses to determine its equilibrium level of output. Indeed, the condition that marginal revenue equal marginal cost is used to determine the profit maximizing level of output of every firm, regardless of the market structure in which the firm is operating.

How does a monopolist determine marginal revenue?

In order to determine marginal revenue, the monopolist must know market demand. Therefore, the monopolist's market supply will not be independent of market demand. Previous Demand in a Monopolistic Market.

Do monopolists incur short run losses?

Monopolists, like perfectly competitive firms, can also incur losses in the short‐run. Monopolists will experience short‐run losses whenever average total costs exceed the price that the monopolist can charge at the profit maximizing level of output. Absence of a monopoly supply curve.

Is a supply curve independent of a monopolist's supply curve?

Absence of a monopoly supply curve. In Figure , there is no representation of the monopolist's supply curve. In fact, the monopolist's supply schedule cannot be depicted as a supply curve that is independent of the market demand curve. Whereas a perfectly competitive firm's supply curve is equal to a portion of its marginal cost curve, the monopolist's supply decisions do not depend on marginal cost alone. The monopolist looks at both the marginal cost and the marginal revenue that it receives at each price level. In order to determine marginal revenue, the monopolist must know market demand. Therefore, the monopolist's market supply will not be independent of market demand.