Does perfect competition exist?

• Students will be able to discuss the characteristics of a perfectly competitive market.
• Students will evaluate how well a market adheres to the characteristics of perfect competition.

Overview

In this exercise, first students will consider the characteristics of a perfectly competitive market for goods and services and discuss how realistic these characteristics are, ranking them from most likely to exist to most farfetched. Next, students will look at some markets and discuss how close they are to perfect competition.

Information Given to Students

Does_PC_Exist?.docx (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 14kB Jan28 20)

1) Consider the characteristics of a perfectly competitive market. The term perfectly in economics often refers to a hypothetical extreme that might not always exist in reality. Rank the characteristics of a perfectly competitive marketplace in order from most unlikely to be true in any market to most likely to exist.
A. Identical Products
B. Many buyers (in this context this means enough buyers that if you sell your good at the market price, all of your good will be sold without a surplus)
C. Many sellers (in this context this means enough sellers that one firm's actions will not disrupt the market equilibrium)
D. Perfect information (all buyers and sellers have all necessary information to make rational choices)
E. Free entry (anyone wishing to enter the market can enter)
F. Free exit (any firm wishing to shut down business can exit)

2) Take a look at the following list of markets. Rank them from most like a perfectly competitive market to least. For each market specifically discuss each of the characteristics of a perfectly competitive market in the context of that market, where do they adhere to characteristics, where do they differ.
A. Delivery Pizza
B. New Toyotas (retail market, as sold by the dealers)
C. Raw Brussel Sprouts
D. Bottled Water
E. Guided Walking Tours of New York

For the first question, your textbook may define perfect competition slightly differently, or perhaps you haven't included each of these characteristics. The instructor should feel free to edit the list of characteristics to better mirror the lessons/textbook.

For the second question it may be necessary to refine the specifics of the market to the class (That both national and local chains are in the pizza market, that bottled water refers to individual size bottled water, not for water coolers, etc.) This list was chosen to have markets that fall short in different ways, but many other markets could be chosen. Examples could include canned cola, white mens undershirts, #2 pencils, etc.