MICROECONOMICS-MINDTAP (1 TERM)
13th Edition
ISBN: 9780357686942
Author: Arnold
Publisher: CENGAGE L
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Chapter 12, Problem 12QP
To determine
Explain the electric companies that have the nature of monopolies.
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Our textbook discusses two methods of regulating natural monopolies. One of them is price cap regulation. One of the following answers is an example of price cap regulation. Which one?
Group of answer choices
A government setting the price that a cable company can charge over a period of time by looking at the cable company's accounting costs and then adding a normal rate of profit.
A government setting a price level for a public utility several years in advance.
When a regulated public utility plays a large role in setting up the regulations that they will follow.
When a firm no longer is considered a natural monopoly because of decreased demand.
A monopoly, unlike a perfectly competitive firm, has some market power. Thus, it can raise its price, within limits, without quantity demanded falling
to zero. The main way monopolies retain their market power is through barriers to entry, which prevent other companies from entering monopolized
markets and competing for customers.
Consider the market for taxi services. In order to own and operate a taxi, drivers are required to obtain a taxi medallion.
Which of the following best explains the barriers to entry that exist in this scenario?
Increasing returns to scale
Control over an important input
O Legal barriers
The three graphs below illustrate the market for electricity. The distribution of electricity is a natural monopoly; therefore, to take advantage of lower production costs, it is efficient to have only one firm in the market. Unfortunately, if a monopoly were allowed to provide electricity, it would charge a higher price and provide a smaller amount of electricity than would be desirable. In other words, the unregulated monopoly would charge the monopoly's profit-maximizing price. To avoid this, the government will allow a single firm to provide electricity, but the government will regulate the price. Let’s compare possible regulatory solutions.
Chapter 12 Solutions
MICROECONOMICS-MINDTAP (1 TERM)
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- The figure to the right shows the market demand for electricity and the average total cost and marginal cost of producing electricity for a utility company. Suppose the utility company is a regulated natural monopoly. If government regulators want to achieve economic efficiency, then they will regulate a price of $ per kilowatt hour. (Enter a numeric response using a real number rounded to two decimal places) Now suppose instead that government regulators want to eat the lowest price such that the utility company will not suffer a loss so that it will continue to produce in the long run. If so, then i government regulators will set a price of $ per kilowatt hour. Price and cost (dollars per kilowatt hour) 0.52 048 044- 040- 0.36 0324 0.26 0.24 0.20 0.16 0.12 0.06 004 0.00+ ATC MC 4 8 12 16 20 24 28 32 36 40 44 48 Quantity of kilowatt hours (in billions)arrow_forward1) A firm is considering buying a patent that would give it a monopoly over sale of a new drug. If it buys the patent, the demand curve is it would face for its product is P = 10 – q, and it would have zero marginal costs of production and no other fixed costs. If the firm anticipates setting a single price to all consumers, what is the most that it would be willing to pay for the patent? 2) A firm is considering buying a patent that would give it a monopoly over sale of a new drug. If it buys the patent, the monopolist’s demand curve would be P = 10 – q, and it would have zero marginal costs of production and no other fixed costs. The firm also anticipates that the government will regulate the market in the following way: the government will set a maximum price of $4 per unit. In addition, the government will provide a subsidy to the monopolist equal to the increase in consumer surplus between the outcome in which the monopolist sets its profit-maximising price and in the market with…arrow_forwardConsider monopolies such as local water or electric public utilities that are regulated by a government entity, often called a Public Utilities Commission. What are the ways in which these companies are regulated? What are the reasons for granting monopoly power to the company? What are the advantages and disadvantages of doing so? Share your answers to these questions with your colleagues.arrow_forward
- Consider the only internet service provider in a small town, which you can assume operates as a natural monopoly. The following graph shows the demand curve for internet services per month, as well as the provider's marginal revenue (MR) curve, marginal cost (MC) curve, and average total cost (ATC) curve. PRICE (Dollars per subscription) 100 90 80 70 40 20 10 0 0 2 || Pricing Mechanism Profit Maximization 4 Complete the first row of the following table. MR 8 10 12 14 QUANTITY (Thousands of subscriptions) Marginal-Cost Pricing Average-Cost Pricing O True Suppose the government has elected not to impose regulations on the industry, and so the firm faces no regulatory constraints in maximizing profits. O False 16 ATC -MC Complete the third row of the previous table. 18 20 D Short Run Price Quantity (Subscriptions) (Dollars per subscription) Suppose now that the government decides to require the monopolist to set its price equal to marginal cost. Profit Complete the second row of the…arrow_forward1. Which of the following companies most closely resembles a monopoly? Walmart Microsoft Starbucks McDonald's Question Source: Chiang 4e - Economics Princip 39 36 近arrow_forwardHow would you go about trying to prove (or disprove) that electric companies and the like are (or are not) natural monopolies?arrow_forward
- can you find examples of monopolies or near monopolies whose position can be attributed to public intervention? Elaborate on possible costs of monopoly in those cases.arrow_forward8. Natural monopoly analysis The following graph gives the demand (D) curve for SG LTE services in the fictional town of Streamship Springs. The graph also shows the marginal revenue (MR) curve, the marginal cost (MC) curve, and the average total cost (ATC) curve for the local 5G LTE company, a natural monopolist. On the following graph, use the black point (plus symbol) to indicate the profit-maximizing price and quantity for this natural monopolist. PRICE (Dollars per gigabyte of data) 20 18 16 14 12 10 8 2 0 0 1 MR 2 3 4 5 67 QUANTITY (Gigabyles of data) 8 ATC MC- 9 10 Monopoly Outcomearrow_forwardSuppose Tyco International has complete control over the plastic hangar market. Suppose the inverse demand for hangars is given by: P(Q) = 3 – Q/16000. Suppose that the total cost is given by: TC(Q) = 100 + Q What is the equilibrium price and quantity of hangars in the market if the market is monopolized? Calculate and graph the deadweight or welfare loss of the monopoly in this market.arrow_forward
- What distinguishes a natural monopoly from other monopolies? What are the pros and cons of regulating natural monopolies? Does your answer differ depending on the specific product or industry being regulated?arrow_forwardConsider the only electric company in a small town, which you can assume operates as a natural monopoly. The following graph shows the demand curve for electricity services per month, as well as the provider's marginal revenue (MR) curve, marginal cost (MC) curve, and average total cost (ATC) curve. Suppose the government has elected not to impose regulations on the industry, and so the firm faces no regulatory constraints in maximizing profits. Complete the first row of the following table. Pricing Mechanism Short Run Long - Run Decision Quantity Price Profit (Subscriptions) (Dollars per subscription) Profit Maximization Marginal - Cost Pricing Average - Cost Pricing Suppose now that the government decides to require the monopolist to set its price equal to marginal cost. Complete the second row of the previous table. Suppose now that the government decides to require the monopolist to set its price equal to average total cost. Complete the third row of the previous table. True or…arrow_forwardA monopoly, unlike a perfectly competitive firm, has some market power. Thus, it can raise its price, within limits, without quantity demanded falling to zero. The main way monopolies retain their market power is through barriers to entry, which prevent other companies from entering monopolized markets and competing for customers. Consider the market for public water. In this industry, low average total costs are obtained only through large-scale production. In other words, the initial cost of setting up all the necessary pipes and treatment plants makes it risky and most likely unprofitable for a competitor to enter the market. Which of the following best explains the barriers to entry that exist in this scenario? O Legal barriers O Control over an important input O Increasing returns to scalearrow_forward
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