Background
Supernormal profit, also known as economic rent, abnormal profit, pure profit, or excess profit, is a concept in economics used to describe any profit that exceeds the normal profit levels. Normal profit is the minimum level of profit required to keep an entrepreneur in their current line of business over the long term. Any profit above this threshold is considered supernormal.
Historical Context
The concept of supernormal profit is rooted in classical economics and has evolved over time to encompass various interpretations in different economic paradigms. Early economists like Adam Smith and David Ricardo laid the groundwork for understanding economic rent, which eventually branched out into the more nuanced definitions of profit, including supernormal profit.
Definitions and Concepts
- Supernormal Profit: Any profit exceeding the normal profit level necessary to retain entrepreneurial effort in its current activity.
- Normal Profit: The minimum profit necessary for an entrepreneur to remain engaged in a particular business activity.
- Economic Rent: A form of supernormal profit typically arising from the unique position or advantage of a firm or individual.
Major Analytical Frameworks
Classical Economics
In classical economics, supernormal profit is generally linked to economic rent. The focus is on how natural and irreproducible factors like land can generate excess profits due to limited supply and high demand.
Neoclassical Economics
Neoclassical economists analyze supernormal profit through the lens of market structures. Under perfect competition, supernormal profit is temporary and eroded over time as new firms enter the market.
Keynesian Economics
Keynesian economists focus on the short-run dynamics of economies and recognize that firms may earn supernormal profit during periods of high aggregate demand but these profits are likely to equal normal profit in the long run.
Marxian Economics
In Marxian economics, supernormal profit is seen as an outcome of capitalist exploitation, where the surplus value generated by labor is appropriated by capitalists.
Institutional Economics
Institutional economics places emphasis on how institutional arrangements and regulatory frameworks can create or curtail opportunities for acquiring supernormal profit.
Behavioral Economics
Behavioral economists study how cognitive biases and decision-making heuristics among consumers and firms can affect the realization and sustainability of supernormal profit.
Post-Keynesian Economics
Post-Keynesian economists scrutinize imperfect competition and market power, identifying conditions under which firms can sustain supernormal profit, often due to barriers to entry and constant innovation.
Austrian Economics
Austrian economists describe supernormal profit as a reward for successful entrepreneurial foresight and risk-taking, arising in markets characterized by constant discovery and adjustment.
Development Economics
In development economics, the potential for supernormal profit is often linked to economic development strategies, where firms might exploit new markets or technological innovations to gain temporary advantages.
Monetarism
Monetarist perspectives on supernormal profit often tie it to monetary policies, inflation, and interest rates, examining how changes in these factors affect profit levels.
Comparative Analysis
The presence of supernormal profits and their sustainability can significantly differ between various market structures such as perfect competition, monopolistic competition, oligopoly, and monopoly. The implications and approaches to supernormal profit vary, influenced by specific economic theories and market dynamics.
Case Studies
- Tech Industry Giants: Companies like Apple, Google, and Amazon often exhibit sustained supernormal profits due to innovation, brand loyalty, and market barriers.
- Real Estate in Prime Locations: Landlord firms in highly demanded urban areas earn supernormal profits from limited supply and high demand for property.
Suggested Books for Further Studies
- Capital in the Twenty-First Century by Thomas Piketty.
- The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith.
- Principles of Economics by Alfred Marshall.
- Das Kapital by Karl Marx.
Related Terms with Definitions
- Economic Profit: The difference between total revenue and total costs, including both explicit and implicit costs.
- Opportunity Cost: The cost of forgoing the next best alternative when making a decision.
- Perfect Competition: A market structure characterized by many buyers and sellers, homogeneous products, and free entry and exit.
- Monopoly: A market structure with a single seller that controls the entire market for a particular good or service.
