1. Game Theory & Natural Monopolies
Econ 201 Spring 2009
Game Theory &
Natural Monopolies

2. Game Theory
Game theory is a methodology that can be used to analyze both cooperative and non-cooperative oligopolies.
Recognizes the interdependence of the firms’ actions

3. Determining the Dominate Strategy
A dominant strategy occurs when one strategy is best for a player regardless of the rival’s actions.
Dominate strategy equilibrium—neither player has reason to change their actions because they are pursuing the strategy that is optimal under all circumstances.

4. Multiple Equilibria
There are come cases where there are multiple Nash equilibria.
In this case, the outcome is uncertain.
Firms will have an incentive to collude.

5. Prisoner's Dilemma
A prisoner’s dilemma occurs when the dominate strategy leads all players to an undesired outcome.

6. Figure 12.9 Prisoners’ Dilemma

7. Firm Collusion
In some situations, firms can improve on the outcome if they collude rather than compete.

8. Natural Monopolies natural monopoly
one firm can produce a desired output at a lower social cost than two or more firms—
that is, there are economies of scale in social costs.
It is the assertion about an industry, that multiple firms providing a good or service is less efficient than if a single firm provided a good or service.
A normative claim which is used to justify the creation of statutory monopolies, where government prohibits competition by law.
Examples of claimed natural monopolies include railways, telecommunications, water services, electricity, and mail delivery.
Some claim that the theory is a flawed rationale for state prohibition of competition.[3], [4]
An industry is said to be a natural monopoly (also called technical monopoly) if only one firm is able to survive in the long run,
even in the absence of legal regulations or "predatory" measures by the monopolist. "[1] It is said that this is the result of high fixed costs of entering an industry which causes long run average costs to decline as output expands (i.e. economies of scale in private costs).

9. Market Conditions for a Natural Monopoly
Scale is such that it is cost-efficient for only 1 firm to supply the market, i.e., economies of scale

10. The Regulator’s Dilemma
A couple of alternatives:
No regulation
Firm will price like a monopolist
Set price at ATC
Rate-of-return regulation: sets utility’s prices based on cost-of-service

11. What are the Consequences?
Do nothing
Firm chooses Q at the point where MR = MC
Less than perfect competition
Sets Price > MC
Higher than perfect competition
Higher price and lower Q => deadweight loss

12. What are the Consequences
Set price at ATC
Since ATC is falling => MC < ATC
And P = ATC > MC
Still producing too little – would like P= MC at Q*

13. The European Approach Assuming LRAC is still falling Set P = MC
Subsidize the difference between ATC and P

14. Regulatory responses doing nothing
setting legal limits on the firm's behaviour, either directly or through a regulatory agency
setting up competition for the market (franchising)
setting up common carrier type competition
setting up surrogate competition ("yardstick" competition or benchmarking)
requiring companies to be (or remain) quoted on the stock market
public ownership
Since the 1980s there is a global trend towards utility deregulation, in which systems of competition are intended to replace regulation by specifying or limiting firms' behaviour; the telecommunications industry is a leading example globally.

15. Telecommunications – an Example
Natural monopolies tend to be associated with industries where there is a high ratio of fixed to variable costs.
fixed costs of establishing a national distribution network for a product might be enormous, but the marginal (variable) cost of supplying extra units of output may be very small.
average total cost will continue to decline as the scale of production increase, because fixed (or overhead) costs are being spread over higher and higher levels of output
The telecommunications industry has in the past been considered to be a natural monopoly. Like railways and water provision,
existence of several companies supplying the same area would result in an inefficient multiplication of cables, transformers, pipelines etc.
perception of what constitutes a natural monopoly is now changing –
new technology reduces traditional barriers to entry within markets.
telecommunications industry
in the UK, British Telecom has faced increasing levels of competition from new telecommunications service providers during the 1990s - not least the rapid expansion of mobile and cable services. T
this has led to a change in the role of the industry regulator (OFTEL). Its main role now is not necessarily the introduction of even more competition into the telecommunications industry - but a policing role to ensure fair competition between service providers.