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Increasing Cost Industries
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If the entry of new firms into an increasing cost industry leads to higher average production costs for all existing firms, what is the most likely underlying cause of this phenomenon?

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Choose the Best Answer

A

Increased competition for scarce resources like labor raises wages and operational costs.

B

New firms bring innovative technologies that lower costs for everyone.

C

Existing firms are forced to reduce prices to compete with new entrants.

D

The government imposes higher taxes on all firms in the industry.

Understanding the Answer

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Answer

In an increasing cost industry, when new firms enter the market, they often demand more resources, like labor and raw materials. As the demand for these resources rises, their prices can increase, leading to higher average production costs for all firms, not just the newcomers. This happens because the supply of resources may not be able to keep up with the sudden increase in demand, causing costs to rise. For example, if a new restaurant opens in a small town, it may hire many chefs and buy more ingredients, which can drive up wages and food prices for all restaurants in that area. Therefore, the underlying cause of higher costs is the increased demand for limited resources as more firms enter the industry.

Detailed Explanation

When new companies join an industry, they compete for the same resources. Other options are incorrect because This answer suggests that new firms help lower costs; This option implies that existing firms lower prices to compete.

Key Concepts

Increasing cost industries
Resource scarcity
Market dynamics
Topic

Increasing Cost Industries

Difficulty

medium level question

Cognitive Level

understand

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