Question

For each of the following scenarios, identify the number of firms present, the type of product, and the appropriate market model. Select the matching entry for each dropdown box in the following table.
Scenario
Number of Firms
Type of Product
Market Model
There are hundreds of colleges and universities that serve millions of college students each year. The colleges vary by location, size, and educational quality, which allows students with diverse preferences to find schools that match their needs.
There are hundreds of high school students in need of algebra tutoring services. Dozens of companies offer tutoring services; parents view the quality of the tutoring at the different companies to be largely the same.
In a small town, there are four providers of broadband Internet access: a cable company, the phone company, and two satellite companies. The Internet access offered by all four providers is of the same speed. Almost everyone in the city already has broadband, so any potential new company would have to engage in a price war with the existing companies and would be unlikely to cover its costs for years, if ever.
The government has granted the U.S. Postal Service the exclusive right to deliver mail.

Answer 1

Answer:

Number of Firms - many

Type of Product - differentiated

Market Model - monopolistic competition

Number of Firms - many  

Type of Product - standardised  

Market Model - perfect competition

Number of Firms - few  

Type of Product - standardised  

Market Model - oligopoly

Number of Firms - one

Type of Product - unique

Market Model - monopoly

Explanation:

A perfect competition is characterized by many buyers and sellers of homogenous goods and services. Market prices are set by the forces of demand and supply. There are no barriers to entry or exit of firms into the industry.   In the long run, firms earn zero economic profit.  If in the short run firms are earning economic profit, in the long run firms would enter into the industry. This would drive economic profit to zero.  

Also, if in the short run, firms are earning economic loss, in the long run, firms would exit the industry until economic profit falls to zero.  

A monopolistic competition is when there are many firms selling differentiated products in an industry. A monopoly has characteristics of both a monopoly and a perfect competition. the demand curve is downward sloping. it sets the price for its goods and services.

An example of monopolistic competition are restaurants  

A monopoly is when there is only one firm operating in an industry. there are usually high barriers to entry of firms. the demand curve is downward sloping. it sets the price for its goods and services.

An example of a monopoly is a utility company

An Oligopoly is when there are few large firms operating in an industry. While, a monopoly is when there is only one firm operating in an industry.

Oligopolies are characterised by:

• price setting firms  
• profit maximisation
• high barriers to entry or exit of firms
• downward sloping demand curve