Oligopoly
Name a product that you regularly purchase from a firm that operates in an oligopolistic industry. Explain why the product and firm fit the model of oligopoly. Think about the TV commercials and/or print advertisements that you’ve seen from this industry: What interdependence have you noticed between the firm you selected and its rivals in terms of product differentiation, price leadership, or price competition? Explain your answer.
Monopolistic Competition
Suppose you manage a local grocery store, and you learn that a very popular national grocery chain is about to open a store just a few miles away. Use the model of monopolistic competition to analyze the impact of this new store on the quantity of output your store should produce (Q) and the price your store should charge (P). What will happen to your profits? Please show graphically and explain your reasoning in detail. For example, how and why do profits change? How can that be seen on the graph?
Diminishing Returns
What do economists mean by “diminishing returns” to an input? What causes diminishing returns? Have you ever observed this principle at work in a job you’ve had? Describe how you’ve experienced this concept in the real world.
