23. Consider the perfectly competitive firm and industry depicted
in Figure 4. The industry was in long run equilibrium when demand for the
good it produces increased causing the demand curve to shift from
D1 to D2. In the short run:
- There is no change in the output for the firm or the industry.
As we know an increase in demand will always cause price and output
to increase. The only change which doesn't affect output in the
short run is a change in fixed costs.
- Price and quantity produced increase for the firm and industry.
- Output increases for the firm but falls for the industry. There isn't really a plausible short run way for this to occur
in perfect competition.
- Price decreases for the firm, but increase for the industry. The industry price is the same price for each firm in the industry
so this makes no sense.
- Price stays the same for the firm, but quantity decreases. The only way for this to happen is if variable costs shift for
one firm but not for others.
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