Imperfect Competition Imperfect competition refers to those market structures that fall between perfect competition and pure monopoly. Imperfect competition includes industries in which firms have competitors but do not face so much competition that they are price takers

The Meaning of Competition A perfectly competitive market has the following characteristics: – There are many buyers and sellers in themarket

“The best things in life are free. . .” Free goods provide a special challenge foreconomic analysis Most goods in our economy are allocatedin markets… for these goods, prices are the signalsthat guide the decisions of buyers andsellers

The Cost of Taxation How do taxes affect the economic well￾being of market participants? It does not matter whether a tax on a goodis levied on buyers or sellers of the good… the price paid by buyers rises, and theprice received by sellers falls

Importance of Supply-Demand Analysis A little knowledge goes a long way: Price Control, Taxation and other policies. Market welfare: Normative Analysis International Trade Externality (Market Failure) Market Power (Market Failure) Other markets: Financial Market, Labor Market. Macroeconomics

The Market Forces of Supply and Demand Supply and Demand are the two wordsthat economists use most often. Supply and Demand are the forces thatmake market economies work. Modern microeconomics is about supply,demand and equilibrium

Outline The Economist as Scientist The Economist as Policy Adviser Why Economists disagree

Outline The economics of asymmetric information Political economics Behavioral economics

Differences in Earningsin the U.S. Today The typical physician earns about $200,000a year. The typical police officer earns about$50,000 a year. The typical farm worker earns about$20,000 a year

Types of Imperfectly Competitive Markets Monopolistic Competition – Many firms selling products that are similar but not identical. Oligopoly – Only a few sellers, each offering a similar or identical product to the others