Market failure can be defined as

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First, restating the question and the options helps frame the discussion: Market failure can be defined as

Option a: 'a characteristic of a market whereby firms fail to supply enough of a product.' This is not an accurate general definition of market failure. It describes a supply-side shortage for a specific product, which could occur for various reasons (e.g., monopolistic behavior, regulatory constraints, or temporary shocks) but does not capture the broader concept of misallocation of resources due to inefficiencies in the market mechanism itself.

Option b: 'a situation in which a market fails to operate efficiently, resulting in a misallocation of resources.' This aligns with the standard economic definition of market failure. It recognizes that markets can fail to allocate resources in the most efficient manner, leading to over- or under-provision of goods and services relative to social optimum. The key idea here is inefficiency and misallocation, not merely a single firm's supply issue.

Option c: 'a situation whereby market demand and supply are equal but the price is too high.' If demand equals supply, the market is in equilibrium, and prices reflect scarcity at that point. Saying the price is too high contradicts the equilibrium condition and does not describe market failure broadly. It is more accurately describing a potential disequilibrium or price mispricing, but not the general concept of market failure.

Option d: 'a government imposed tax that causes consumers to demand the product less.' While taxes can influence demand and can be part of stimulus or distortion arguments, a tax is a policy instrument, not a definition of market failure itself. Market failure refers to the characteristics of the market mechanism, not a specific policy tool that alters demand.

To summarize the distinctions: Option a focuses on a single product’s supply issue, which is not the comprehensive definition of market failure. Option b correctly identifies inefficiency and misallocation at the market level, capturing the core concept economists use. Option c describes an equilibrium or pricing issue that is not inherently market failure, and option d confuses policy tools with the underlying economic phenomenon. The correct understanding is that market failure involves some misallocation due to inefficiencies in the market mechanism, which Option b explicitly states.

MUF0061 Economics Unit 1 - Semester 2, 2025 Revision Quiz: Externalities (5 - 10 minutes)

Market failure can be defined as

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