Page 710 - Krugmans Economics for AP Text Book_Neat
P. 710

What you will learn
        in this Module:



        • Why oligopolists and         Module 68
           monopolistic competitors
           differentiate their products
        • The economic significance of  Product Differentiation
           advertising and brand names
                                       and Advertising







                                       In Module 66 we saw that product differentiation often plays an important role in oli-
                                       gopolistic industries. In such industries, product differentiation reduces the intensity
                                       of competition between firms when tacit collusion cannot be achieved. Product differ-
                                       entiation plays an even more crucial role in monopolistically competitive industries.
                                       Because tacit collusion is virtually impossible when there are many producers, product
                                       differentiation is the only way monopolistically competitive firms can acquire some
                                       market power. In this module, we look at how oligopolists and monopolistic competi-
                                       tors differentiate their products in order to maximize profits.


                                       How Firms Differentiate Their Products

                                       How do firms in the same industry—such as fast-food vendors, gas stations, or choco-
                                       late makers—differentiate their products? Sometimes the difference is mainly in the
                                       minds of consumers rather than in the products themselves. We’ll discuss the role of
                                       advertising and the importance of brand names in achieving this kind of product dif-
                                       ferentiation later. But, in general, firms differentiate their products by—surprise!—ac-
                                       tually making them different.
                                          The key to product differentiation is that consumers have different preferences and
                                       are willing to pay somewhat more to satisfy those preferences. Each producer can carve
                                       out a market niche by producing something that caters to the particular preferences of
                                       some group of consumers better than the products of other firms. There are three im-
                                       portant forms of product differentiation: differentiation by style or type, differentia-
                                       tion by location, and differentiation by quality.


                                       Differentiation by Style or Type
                                       The sellers in Leo’s food court offer different types of fast food: hamburgers, pizza,
                                       Chinese food, Mexican food, and so on. Each consumer arrives at the food court with
                                       some preference for one or another of these offerings. This preference may depend on


        668   section 12      Market Structures: Imperfect Competition
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