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Price Regulation
If left alone, a monopolist $/output unit produces ym and charges Pm.
MR
MC
Pm
P2 = PC
P1
If price is lower than PC, a shortage exists.
Any price below P1 results in the firm incurring a loss.
dy dy
dy
◊ So, for y = y*,
d p(y*)y* dc(y*)
dy
dy
3
An Linear Example
◊ E.g. if p(y) = a–by. Then
◊ So
R(y)p(y)ya yb2y M ( y ) a R 2 b a y b p y ( y )
◊ In 1995, a new antiulcer medication, Prilosec, was invented. It was much more effective than earlier drugs.
◊ Astra-Merck was pricing Prilosec at about $3.50 per daily dose, but the marginal cost of Prilosec is only about 30 to 40 cents per daily dose.
AC
Demand
If price is lowered to PC, output is yC and there is no
ym y1 ydceadweight lossy. 22