Some Economists Have Argued That Path Dependence and Switching Costs

question 2

Multiple Choice

Some economists have argued that path dependence and switching costs can lead to market failure.Which of the following is an example of this argument?

• A)Costly celebrity endorsements lead many consumers to buy a product even though it is more expensive or less effective than a product that is not endorsed by a celebrity.
• B)A consumer who won a lottery for a Super Bowl ticket refuses to sell it for $3,000 even though he would not have paid $3,000 for a ticket if he had not won the lottery.
• C)While playing the ultimate game, an allocator decides to share $20 equally with a recipient rather than keep the $20 for herself.
• D)VHS video recorders became more popular with consumers than Sony Betamax recorders even though the Betamax recorders embodied a superior technology.

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Definitions:

Producer Surplus

The difference between the amount producers are willing to sell a good for and the actual price they receive, representing the producers' benefit.

Minimum Price

The lowest price at which a good or service is permitted to be sold, often set by regulation.

Long-Run Supply Curve

A graphical representation showing the relationship between market price and quantity supplied over a long period, where all inputs can be adjusted.

Purely Competitive

A market structure characterized by many buyers and sellers, all selling identical products, with no single buyer or seller able to influence the market price.