1. How many buyers and sellers are there?

ENGR.ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
14th Edition
ISBN:9780190931919
Author:NEWNAN
Publisher:NEWNAN
Chapter1: Making Economics Decisions
Section: Chapter Questions
Problem 1QTC
icon
Related questions
Question
Market Structures...
Economists try to identify market structures in order to understand how firms and consumers behave. We
characterize market structures by the number of buyers or sellers who are present, by the relative ease
with which a new seller may enter the market, by the variation in the product from one supplier to the
next, and by the amount of competition present.
Perfect Competition
Perfect competition is the most competitive market structure. A market with perfect competition has a
large number of buyers and sellers. In this type of market, there are no barriers to entry or exit, which
means a new seller will have a fairly easy time if he wants to start doing business. The product is
homogeneous, in the sense that one bushel of wheat isn't really all that different from any other bushel of
wheat. A perfectly competitive market is also characterized by the availability of perfect information, or
free and equal access for everyone to information about the product, its price, and the firms. A firm in
perfect competition sells a product with perfectly price-elastic demand (the "rubber band" variety). The
firm is forced to be a price-taker. It has no choice but to sell at the market price. If a firm sells its
product at a price over the market price, it won't earn any revenue-since goods are homogeneous,
consumers will simply switch to another firm's product.
Examples of Perfectly Competitive Markets
-wheat
•silver
livestock
. euros
gold
•yen
2.30 IN BRIEF
Short answer. Write a response to each of these prompts about perfectly competitive markets.
1. How many buyers and sellers are there?
2. How easy or difficult is it for a new seller to enter the market?
3. How different is one seller's product from the next?
5. How much information is available to buyers and sellers about the market?
6. How does a seller decide upon a sale price?
Transcribed Image Text:Market Structures... Economists try to identify market structures in order to understand how firms and consumers behave. We characterize market structures by the number of buyers or sellers who are present, by the relative ease with which a new seller may enter the market, by the variation in the product from one supplier to the next, and by the amount of competition present. Perfect Competition Perfect competition is the most competitive market structure. A market with perfect competition has a large number of buyers and sellers. In this type of market, there are no barriers to entry or exit, which means a new seller will have a fairly easy time if he wants to start doing business. The product is homogeneous, in the sense that one bushel of wheat isn't really all that different from any other bushel of wheat. A perfectly competitive market is also characterized by the availability of perfect information, or free and equal access for everyone to information about the product, its price, and the firms. A firm in perfect competition sells a product with perfectly price-elastic demand (the "rubber band" variety). The firm is forced to be a price-taker. It has no choice but to sell at the market price. If a firm sells its product at a price over the market price, it won't earn any revenue-since goods are homogeneous, consumers will simply switch to another firm's product. Examples of Perfectly Competitive Markets -wheat •silver livestock . euros gold •yen 2.30 IN BRIEF Short answer. Write a response to each of these prompts about perfectly competitive markets. 1. How many buyers and sellers are there? 2. How easy or difficult is it for a new seller to enter the market? 3. How different is one seller's product from the next? 5. How much information is available to buyers and sellers about the market? 6. How does a seller decide upon a sale price?
Expert Solution
trending now

Trending now

This is a popular solution!

steps

Step by step

Solved in 2 steps

Blurred answer
Knowledge Booster
Government Intervention
Learn more about
Need a deep-dive on the concept behind this application? Look no further. Learn more about this topic, economics and related others by exploring similar questions and additional content below.
Recommended textbooks for you
ENGR.ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
ENGR.ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
Economics
ISBN:
9780190931919
Author:
NEWNAN
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
Principles of Economics (12th Edition)
Principles of Economics (12th Edition)
Economics
ISBN:
9780134078779
Author:
Karl E. Case, Ray C. Fair, Sharon E. Oster
Publisher:
PEARSON
Engineering Economy (17th Edition)
Engineering Economy (17th Edition)
Economics
ISBN:
9780134870069
Author:
William G. Sullivan, Elin M. Wicks, C. Patrick Koelling
Publisher:
PEARSON
Principles of Economics (MindTap Course List)
Principles of Economics (MindTap Course List)
Economics
ISBN:
9781305585126
Author:
N. Gregory Mankiw
Publisher:
Cengage Learning
Managerial Economics: A Problem Solving Approach
Managerial Economics: A Problem Solving Approach
Economics
ISBN:
9781337106665
Author:
Luke M. Froeb, Brian T. McCann, Michael R. Ward, Mike Shor
Publisher:
Cengage Learning
Managerial Economics & Business Strategy (Mcgraw-…
Managerial Economics & Business Strategy (Mcgraw-…
Economics
ISBN:
9781259290619
Author:
Michael Baye, Jeff Prince
Publisher:
McGraw-Hill Education