Profit-Maximizing vs. Pareto-Efficient Output Conditions

Graphical Representation of the Banana Market with Negative Externalities (Figure 10.3)

Figure 10.2: The Plantations’ Choice of Banana Output

Confirmation of Profit Maximum at Point A Using the Second-Order Condition

Mathematical Argument for a Pareto Improvement via Infinitesimal Reduction in Output

Cause of Upward-Sloping MPC in Banana Production

A plantation produces bananas for a large, competitive global market, where it can sell as many tons as it wants at a fixed price of $400 per ton. The table below shows the plantation's marginal private cost—the cost to the plantation itself for producing one additional ton of bananas—at various levels of output. Analyze the data to determine the quantity of bananas the plantation should produce to achieve the highest possible profit.

Analyzing the Profit-Maximization Point

A banana plantation operates in a competitive market, selling its produce at a constant world price of $400 per ton. The plantation's managers have determined that their profit is highest when they produce 80,000 tons per year. At this specific output level, the cost to the plantation to produce one additional ton of bananas is also$400. Given that producing even more bananas requires more intensive use of the land and thus increases the cost per additional ton, what would be the immediate effect on the plantation's total profit if it decided to increase its output to 80,001 tons?

A chemical company operates in a perfectly competitive market and sells its product at a constant price of $150 per barrel. The company's internal cost to produce each additional barrel rises as output increases. This production process also generates waste, which imposes a clean-up cost on the local community, a cost the company does not pay. To maximize its own profits, the company should increase its production until its internal cost to produce the very last barrel is:

Advising on Production for Profit Maximization

A banana plantation operates in a competitive market where the price for bananas is fixed at $400 per ton. The plantation is currently producing 70,000 tons per year, and at this level of production, the cost to produce one additional ton of bananas is$350. To maximize its profit, the plantation should decrease its production.

Paper Mill's Profit-Maximizing Strategy

A banana plantation operates in a competitive market, selling its entire output at a stable price of $400 per ton. The plantation is currently producing 80,000 tons, at which point the marginal cost (the cost of producing one additional ton) is also$400. A consultant reviews the operations and recommends reducing production to 60,000 tons, where the marginal cost is only $325 per ton. The consultant argues, "By producing at a level where the cost of the last ton is well below the selling price, the plantation will increase its overall profit." Which of the following statements best evaluates the consultant's recommendation?

A company manufactures high-performance bicycle frames. Due to the specialized labor and materials required, the cost of producing each additional frame increases as production ramps up. The company sells these frames in a competitive global market. Currently, the market price is $700 per frame, and the company is producing 500 frames per month, which is its profit-maximizing output level. A new trade agreement is signed, causing the global market price for these frames to permanently increase to$750. To adapt and continue to maximize its profits, what action should the company take regarding its monthly production level?

A company produces widgets in a competitive market where the price is fixed at $50 per widget. The cost to produce each additional widget changes as the total quantity produced changes. Match each production scenario with the action the company should take to move towards maximizing its profit.