Marginalintäkter

Marginalintäkter, also known as marginal revenue, refers to the additional revenue a company earns from selling one more unit of a good or service. It is a crucial concept in microeconomics and is used by businesses to determine the optimal production level. The calculation of marginalintäkter is straightforward: it is the change in total revenue divided by the change in quantity sold. If a company sells 10 units for a total revenue of 100 SEK, and then sells 11 units for a total revenue of 110 SEK, the marginalintäkter for the 11th unit is 10 SEK (110 SEK - 100 SEK / 11 units - 10 units).

In a perfectly competitive market, marginalintäkter are equal to the market price. This is because a single firm in such a market is a price taker and can sell any quantity at the prevailing market price. However, in markets with imperfect competition, such as monopolies or oligopolies, marginalintäkter are typically less than the price. This is due to the fact that to sell an additional unit, a firm often has to lower the price not only for that unit but also for all previous units.

Businesses use the concept of marginalintäkter in conjunction with marginalkostnader (marginal cost) to maximize profits. The profit-maximizing output level occurs where marginalintäkter equal marginalkostnader. If marginalintäkter exceed marginalkostnader, the company can increase its profits by producing and selling more. Conversely, if marginalkostnader exceed marginalintäkter, the company should reduce its output. Understanding and applying the principle of marginalintäkter is essential for effective pricing and production strategies.