MONOPOLISTIC COMPETITION, EFFICIENCY: A monopolistically competitive firm generally produces less output and charges a higher price than would be the case for a perfectly competitive firm. In particular, the price charged by a monopolistically competitive firm is higher than the marginal cost of production, which violates the efficiency condition that price equals marginal cost. A monopolistically competitive firm is inefficient because it has market control and faces a negatively-sloped demand curve.Monopolistic competition does not efficiently allocate resources. The reason for this inefficiency is found with market control and negatively-sloped demand curve. The negative slope means that the price charged by the monopolistically competitive firm is greater than marginal revenue. As a profit-maximizing firm that equates marginal revenue with marginal cost, the price charged by monopolistic competition is also greater than marginal cost. The inequality between price and marginal cost is what makes monopolistic competition inefficient. Because price exceeds marginal cost, the economy gives up less satisfaction from other goods not produced than it receives from the good that is produced. The economy can gain satisfaction by producing more of the good. However, in the grand scheme of things, monopolistic competition is not the worst offender when it comes to efficiency. Because the demand curve facing a monopolistically competitive firm (with minimal market control) tends to be relative elastic, the difference between price and marginal revenue is relatively small. This means that the difference between price and marginal cost, and the degree of inefficiency, is also relatively small. Inefficient Profit Maximization
A typical profit-maximizing output determination using the marginal revenue and marginal cost approach is presented in this diagram. Manny maximizes profit by producing output that equates marginal revenue and marginal cost, which is 6 sandwiches. The corresponding price charged is $4.95. This profit-maximizing production is not efficient. In particular, the price is $4.95, but the marginal cost is only $4.65. Society is producing and consuming a good that it values at $4.95 (the price). However, in so doing, society is using resources that could have produced other goods valued at $4.65 (the marginal OPPORTUNITY cost). Society gives up $4.65 worth of value and receives $4.95. This is a good thing. It is so good, that society should do more. However, the monopolistically competitive firm is not letting this happen. Manny is not devoting as many resources to the production of Deluxe Club Sandwiches as society would like. An Efficient AlternativeThe degree of monopolistic competition inefficiency can be illustrated with a comparison to perfect competition. Such a comparison is easily accomplished by clicking the [Perfect Competition] button in the exhibit above. A primary use of perfect competition is to provide a benchmark for the comparison with other market structures, such as monopolistic competition.A comparison between monopolistic competition and perfect competition indicates:
While an evaluation of the relative good or bad of inefficiency is a value judgement falling in the realm of normative economics, such a judgement is worth considering. The reason is that inefficiency in the real world is a matter of degree. Some inefficiency is really severe and some is not. Considering the fifth rule of imperfection that nothing is perfect and never will be, it is important to consider the degree of inefficiency when interest turns to remedial actions, that is, economic policies and government intervention. While a monopoly that charges a $10 price while incurring a marginal cost of $2 creates a serious inefficiency problem that probably warrants government intervention, a monopolistically competitive firm that charges a $4.95 price while incurring a marginal cost of $4.65, might not. Consider that government policies fall victim to the fifth rule of imperfection, too. Any corrective action by government might actually worsen efficiency rather than achieving it. While government "probably" would not do worse than a really bad monopoly, it is very likely to do worse than a not-so-bad monopolistically competitive firm. Check Out These Related Terms... | monopolistic competition, profit maximization | monopolistic competition, loss minimization | monopolistic competition, shutdown | monopolistic competition, short-run supply curve | Or For A Little Background... | monopolistic competition | monopolistic competition, characteristics | profit maximization | efficiency | monopolistic competition, demand | marginal cost | marginal revenue | scarcity | production | satisfaction | And For Further Study... | monopolistic competition, demand | monopolistic competition, short-run production analysis | monopolistic competition, long-run production analysis | monopolistic competition, total analysis | monopolistic competition, marginal analysis | perfect competition, efficiency | monopoly, efficiency | Recommended Citation: MONOPOLISTIC COMPETITION, EFFICIENCY, AmosWEB Encyclonomic WEB*pedia, http://www.AmosWEB.com, AmosWEB LLC, 2000-2025. [Accessed: June 6, 2025]. |
