In: Economics
Describe how, in the long-run, a permanent decrease in demand can lead to exit of incumbent firms.
Profits are the main determinant which shows the existence of a
firm in the market. Producers invest their money, time, effort to
produce and sell something and hope for the returns through this.
Not all firms can perfectly do these activities. This will leads to
the leaving of the firm from the industry. Most of the perfectly
competitive firms, there is a free entry and exit of the firms. If
a firm’s product having low demand in the market will definitely
get back from the market.
In long run the firms attain equilibrium at the lower point of the
average cost curve. This point will be tangent to the demand curve.
There is normal profit was attained by the firms in long run. If
there is increase in the existing profit, new firms will be
attracted to the industry. This new entrants may leads to the fall
in price, and also increase the cost of production. This may lead
to an upward shift of the cost curve. This will continue till the
average cost curve’s tangency towards the demand curve which
determines the market price. If the firm’s in the market create
loss, they will leave the industry. The price will raises and the
cost may fall as the industry contract until the remaining firms in
the industry cover the total cost inclusive of the normal profit
rate.