In: Economics
1.) Existing producers are better off when barriers to entry exist for new producers, but consumers are worse off. Because of these competing effects, it is ambiguous whether a market is more or less economically efficient when barriers to entry exist. (Please address both sentences.)
2) A producer can charge a price far greater than marginal cost so long as barriers to entry prevent competitors from entering the industry.
1 - False
When there are barriers to entry in a market , and any regulations do not exist , the markets do not run efficiently. This is not an ambiguous but a certain fact. The deadweight loss exists in this market due to loss of consumer surplus mostly.
2 - True
When there are barriers to entry in a market , the sellers is able to reduce the market quantity , he has control over the price. In this case , he can charge the price greater than the marginal cost. But this price must lie on the demand curve. Due to barriers to entry , the firms are not able to enter and existing firm earn positive economic profit by charging greater than MR and MC.