DARP (Demand, Average Revenue, Price)

Definition

DARP refers to the relationship between demand, average revenue, and price in a perfectly competitive market. It illustrates how a firm’s demand curve is perfectly elastic at the market price, meaning that the firm can sell any quantity of its product at this price but cannot influence it. This concept is crucial for understanding how firms operate within a competitive market structure and their pricing strategies.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. In a perfectly competitive market, DARP indicates that the firm's demand curve is horizontal at the market price.
2. Since firms are price takers, they can sell as much as they want at the market price without affecting it.
3. Average revenue is equal to price for each unit sold in a perfectly competitive market.
4. The relationship between demand, average revenue, and price shows that firms maximize profit where marginal cost equals marginal revenue.
5. DARP helps to illustrate why firms cannot earn economic profits in the long run in a perfectly competitive market due to new firms entering the market.

Review Questions

• How does DARP reflect the pricing strategy of firms operating in a perfectly competitive market?
  • DARP reflects that firms in a perfectly competitive market face a horizontal demand curve at the market price, meaning they are price takers. This means that these firms have no control over the price and can only decide how much to produce. Since they can sell any quantity at this fixed price without affecting it, their pricing strategy revolves around maximizing output where marginal cost equals marginal revenue.
• Compare and contrast average revenue and marginal revenue in the context of DARP and its implications for firm behavior.
  • In DARP, average revenue is equal to the price at which goods are sold, while marginal revenue refers to the additional income from selling one more unit. In a perfectly competitive market, both average and marginal revenue remain constant at this market price because firms can sell as many units as they want at this price. This indicates that firms will continue to produce until their marginal cost matches the constant marginal revenue, guiding their production decisions effectively.
• Evaluate the implications of DARP for long-term firm profitability in a perfectly competitive market.
  • DARP suggests that firms in perfect competition cannot achieve long-term economic profits due to the entry of new competitors when existing firms are profitable. As new firms enter, they increase supply, which drives down the market price until it equals the minimum average total cost of production. Thus, in the long run, firms will only earn normal profits as any economic profit attracts more competition, demonstrating how DARP regulates firm behavior and market dynamics.

Related terms

Perfect Competition:

A market structure where numerous firms sell identical products, leading to no single firm having the power to influence the market price.

Marginal Revenue:

The additional revenue generated from selling one more unit of a product, which in a perfectly competitive market equals the price.

Total Revenue:

The total income generated from the sale of goods or services, calculated as the product of price and quantity sold.