Market Power and Elasticity of Demand
Market power is the ability to raise price above marginal cost and earn a positive profit. The degree to which a firm can raise price above marginal cost depends on the shape of the demand curve at the profit maximizing output. That is, elasticity is the critical factor in determining market power. The relationship between market power and the price elasticity of demand (PED) can be summarized by the equation:
- P/MC = PED/(1 + PED)
Note that PED will be negative, so the ratio is always greater than one. The higher the P/MC ratio, the more market power the firm possesses. As PED increases in magnitude, the P/MC ratio approaches one, and market power approaches zero. The equation is derived from the monopolist pricing rule:
- (P - MC)/P = -1/PED
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Famous quotes containing the words market, power, elasticity and/or demand:
“the old palaces, the wallets of the tourists,
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the cliff-hangers, the scientists,
and the little shops raising their prices
mean nothing to me.”
—Anne Sexton (1928–1974)
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—G.C. (Georg Christoph)
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—Jane Austen (1775–1817)
“That whatever a man says, promises, or resolves in passion he must stick to later on when he is cold and sober—this demand is among the heaviest burdens that weigh on humankind.”
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900)