Introduction to the competitive firm
Religion & Liberty Online

Introduction to the competitive firm

Note: This is post #41 in a weekly video series on basic microeconomics.

We tend to assume profit—the bottom line—is the main motivation for a firm’s actions, says economist Alex Tabbarok. For most firms most of the time, this is a good assumption, especially in a competitive market. This video by Marginal Revolution University explores how a company maximizes profit in a competitive environment where there are many buyers and sellers.

(If you find the pace of the videos too slow, I’d recommend watching them at 1.5 to 2 times the speed. You can adjust the speed at which the video plays by clicking on “Settings” (the gear symbol) and changing “Speed” from normal to 1.25, 1.5 or 2.)

Previous in series: Is it cleaner to trade pollution?

Joe Carter

Joe Carter is a senior writer for The Gospel Coalition, author of The Life and Faith Field Guide for Parents, the editor of the NIV Lifehacks Bible, and coauthor of How to Argue Like Jesus: Learning Persuasion from History’s Greatest Communicator. He also serves as an associate pastor at McLean Bible Church in Arlington, Va.