The additional revenue gained from selling one more unit of a product or service is a fundamental concept in microeconomics. It represents the change in total revenue resulting from a one-unit change in quantity sold. For instance, if a company’s total revenue increases by $10 when it sells an additional widget, then that additional widget yields $10.
Understanding this incremental revenue is crucial for businesses as it directly informs production and pricing decisions. By comparing it to the marginal cost of production, a company can determine the optimal level of output to maximize profit. Historically, the development of this concept has allowed businesses to move beyond simply maximizing production and instead focus on maximizing profitability by balancing output and revenue.