Profit Maximisation: Meaning, Producers Equilibrium, MC-MR Approach (2024)

The Theory of Firm Under Perfect Competition

For once step into the shoes of a producer and analyze your motive in economic terms. What keeps you burning your oil as a producer? Definitely, profit maximisation is your answer. A rational producer always looks from the monetary angle, trying to maximize his profits. Let us take a look at the economics behind profit maximisation.

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What is Profit?

Profit refers to the excess of receipts from the sale of goods over the expenditure incurred on producing them. The money receivedby a producer from the sale of his output is known as revenue. The money that goes into the process of production is known as cost. The difference between revenue and cost makes up the profit for a firm. So a rational producer would always prefer that his revenue column outshines the cost column in monetary terms.

Producer’s Equilibrium and Profit Maximisation

Equilibrium represents a state of no change. Looking from a producer’s perspective, profit is their favorite word in the book of economics. Thus it is easy to realize that a producer would be in the state of equilibrium if he is earning maximum profit, i.e has profit maximisation. Therefore producer’s equilibrium becomes our subject matter if we aim to understand profit maximisation.

A firm is said to be in equilibrium when it has no inclination to expand or to contract its output. This state either reflects profit maximisation or minimize losses. A producer can attain equilibrium level under the following two situations:

  • Perfect competition: In the market conditions of perfect competition, a price is fixed by the industry which has to be accepted by all firms. Any quantity of the commodity can be sold at this price. Hence the price remains constant.
  • Imperfect competition: Under imperfect conditions, firms have the freedom to set price for their outputs. Note that sales can only be increased by reducing the price. In a nutshell, each firm follows an independent pricing policy which further means that the price is not constant.

The Marginal Revenue-Marginal Cost Approach

Of course,profit depends on revenue and cost. As a result of this, the concept of producer equilibrium revolves around revenue and cost. According to the MR-MC approach, a producer is said to be in equilibrium when:

1] MR=MC

As long asthe cost of producing another unit remains less than the revenue received from the sale of an additional unit, a producer won’t wander away from his path of earning profits. This is because, until MR>MC, it keeps on adding to profits. Production is stopped only when MR becomes equal to MC.

MR is the addition to TR from the sale of one more unit. MC is the addition to TC when an additional unit is produced. Thus when MR=MC, TR-TC becomes maximum for maximum profit. If MR exceeds MC, then the producer will continue producing as it will add to his profits.

On the contrary, if MR<MC then benefit will be less than cost. In essence, MR=MC is the only possible combination among the three to represent equilibrium.

2]MC is greater than MR after the MC=MR Output Level

When MC is greater than MR after equilibrium, production of more units will lead a to decline in profits. MC can be equal to MR at more than one output level. In that case, if MC<MR after this level, it would not represent the equilibrium state as the producer would eye more profit.

Thus MR=MC is a necessary condition but not sufficient enough. It has to be supplemented by the condition that MR should be less than MC after this level, to ensure producer’s equilibrium.

Producer’s Equilibrium when Price remains Constant

Profit Maximisation: Meaning, Producers Equilibrium, MC-MR Approach (9)

Under conditions of perfect competition, the price remains constant. We know that price is equal to AR. Further, the revenue from every additional unit is also equal to AR, when the price is constant. The AR curve coincides with the MR curve.

As explained we look for the level of output where MR becomes equal to MC (geometrically MR curve intersects with MC curve) and after this level, MC is greater than MR (geometrically the MC curve is above the MR curve after the equivalence point). When both these conditions are satisfied, the producer attains the equilibrium level of output.

Producer’s Equilibrium when Price is not Constant

Profit Maximisation: Meaning, Producers Equilibrium, MC-MR Approach (10)

Under imperfect market conditions, the price tends to fall with an increase in output, as a producer can sell more units only at a lower price. The MR curve, in this case, slopes downwards. Producer aims to produce that level of output at which MC is equal to MR and after this level of output MC is greater than MR. This is depicted by the two curves intersecting each other and the MC curve rising above the MR curve past the intersection point.

A Solved Example for You

Q: What are the two necessary conditions that ensure producer’s equilibrium?

Ans:The two necessary conditions that ensure equilibrium are:

  • MR=MC: This ensures that neither the producer has the incentive to produce more nor the benefit is less than cost.
  • MC becomes greater than MR after the MR=MC level of output: MR=MC can occur at more than one output level. This condition keeps a check on the above problem.
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Profit Maximisation: Meaning, Producers Equilibrium, MC-MR Approach (2024)

FAQs

Profit Maximisation: Meaning, Producers Equilibrium, MC-MR Approach? ›

MR is the addition to TR from the sale of one more unit. MC is the addition to TC when an additional unit is produced. Thus when MR=MC, TR-TC becomes maximum for maximum profit. If MR exceeds MC, then the producer will continue producing as it will add to his profits.

What is the MR MC approach of profit maximization? ›

If the firm is producing at a quantity where MC > MR, like 90 or 100 packs, then it can increase profit by reducing output. The firm's profit-maximizing level of output will occur where MR = MC (or at a level close to that point).

What is the relationship between Mr MC and profit maximization? ›

The marginal revenue is the additional revenue added by increasing the quantity. This is also known as the additional revenue “at the margin.” Therefore, profit is maximized when marginal cost equals marginal revenue which is the same as saying when marginal profit equals zero.

What is the profit maximization in producer equilibrium? ›

A producer's equilibrium is the situation in which the Producer's profit is maximised due to the combination of price and output. The Producer's profit would begin to drop if he produced more things than the equilibrium state.

What is the meaning and condition of producer equilibrium under MC and MR approach? ›

Producer's equilibrium refers to the state in which a producer earns his maximum profit or minimise its losses. According to MR-MC approach, the producer is at equilibrium, when the Marginal Revenue (MR) is equal to the Marginal Cost (MC) and Marginal Cost curve must cut the Marginal Revenue curve from below.

What does MC and MR mean in economics? ›

Marginal cost (MC) refers to the increase in cost that is occasioned by the production of an extra unit. It is the additional cost of producing an additional unit. Marginal revenue (MR) refers to the extra profit made by producing or selling an extra unit.

What is the MR MC rule quizlet? ›

MR=MC rule means marginal revenue equals marginal cost. Marginal revenue (MR) is the change in total revenue that occurs when producing an additional unit of product. Marginal costs (MC) represent the change in total costs incurred during the production of an additional unit of product.

Why should MC and MR be equal at equilibrium output? ›

This is because if MC is greater than MR, then producing beyond MR = MC will reduce the profits. Also, when it is no longer possible to add profits, the maximum profit level is reached. On the other hand, if MC is less than MR beyond the MC = MR output, then the producer can add profits by producing more.

What happens if Mr is greater than MC? ›

Answer and Explanation:

When marginal revenue (MR) is greater than marginal cost (MC), production should increase. Marginal revenue indicates an increase in revenue when the firm produces one more unit. Profit is maximized when the marginal revenue of the last unit produced is the same as the marginal cost.

What happens when Mr is less than MC? ›

If marginal revenue is less than marginal cost, the monopolist should decrease output. 1. Unlike a competitive industry, a monopoly does not produce the efficient output. Monopolists charge a higher price and produce less output than a competitive industry.

What is the profit maximization approach? ›

Profit maximization is when a business achieves its highest revenue or profit. The profit maximization theory assumes that the goal of a company is to make the highest profits possible. The sales level at which profit maximization happens is when marginal revenue and marginal cost are equal.

What is the profit maximization point for all producers? ›

Profits are maximized where marginal cost is equal to marginal revenue. Here, marginal revenue is equal to $60; recall that price equals marginal revenue in a competitive market: 60 = 2Q, or Q = 30.

What is the producer's equilibrium? ›

Producer's equilibrium refers to a situation where profits are maximised, i.e., the difference between total revenue and total cost is maximised, or in cases losses, the difference is minimised, so as to minimise losses.

What are the three conditions of profit maximization? ›

The cost price p, must be equal to MC. The marginal cost must be non-decreasing at q0. For the enterprise to continue to manufacture in the short run, the cost price must be greater than the average variable cost (p > AVC), whereas in the long run, the cost price must be greater than the average cost (p > AC).

What is the equilibrium of a firm using MC and MR curves? ›

A firm is in equilibrium when its marginal cost is equal to marginal revenue (MC = MR) and marginal cost curve cuts marginal revenue curve from below. A firm in equilibrium earns super normal profit when average revenue (price per unit) determined by the industry is more than its average cost.

What is the equilibrium of the firm by using Mr MC approach under the monopoly? ›

In Imperfect Competition and Monopoly Markets the Marginal Revenue Curve Slopes Down while Marginal Cost Slopes Down Initially and as the Output Units Increase the marginal Cost MC too Increases . The First condition of the Firm's Equilibrium is that Marginal Revenue MR be Equal to Marginal Cost MC .

What is Mr MC approach in monopolistic competition? ›

The equilibrium output at the profit maximization level (MR = MC) for monopolistic competition means consumers pay more since the price is greater than marginal revenue. As indicated above, monopolistic competitive companies operate with excess capacity. They do not operate at the minimum ATC in the long run.

What is the MC MR in competitive market? ›

A firm's total profit is maximized by producing the level of output at which marginal revenue for the last unit produced equals its marginal cost, or MR = MC. In a perfectly competitive market, MR is equal to the market price P for all levels of output.

What is profit maximization method? ›

Profit maximization is when a business achieves its highest revenue or profit. The profit maximization theory assumes that the goal of a company is to make the highest profits possible. The sales level at which profit maximization happens is when marginal revenue and marginal cost are equal.

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