1.A perfectly competitive market has several important
characteristics:
- All producers contribute insignificantly to the market. Their
own production levels do not change the supply curve.
- All producers are price takers. They cannot influence the
market. If a firm tries to raise its price consumers would buy from
a competitor with a lower price instead.
- Products are homogeneous. The characteristics of a good or
service do not vary between suppliers.
- Producers enter and exit the market freely.
- Both buyers and sellers have perfect information about the
price, utility, quality, and production methods of products.
- There are no transaction costs. Buyers and sellers do not incur
costs in making an exchange of goods in a perfectly competitive
market.
- Producers earn zero economic profits in the long run.
2.The upper portion (rising portion) of the short run marginal
cost curve is the short run supply curve.