Scarcity rents.
w
Constrained input limits
the production of output.
$/Q
Q/t
MR
D
C
P
A
Q
A
w
Price is above cost, but
firm has no incentive to
restrict output.
w
(P
A
– C)Q
A
is a
scarcity rent
.
w
If the firm owns all of the
constrained factor, it
keeps the rent.
w
If the firm has to buy the
factor on a competitive
market, it bids the factor
price up to (P
A
– C).
Rent goes to the factor
owner
.
This analysis follows
Winter (1995, pp. 159-167).