Answered step by step
Verified Expert Solution
Question
1 Approved Answer
Assume that two companies (A and B) are duopolists who produce identical products. Demand for the products is given by the following linear demand function:
Assume that two companies (A and B) are duopolists who produce identical products. Demand for the products is given by the following linear demand function: P=200-0A-0B where 04 and Qp are the guantities sold by the respective firms and P is the selling price. Total cost functions for the two companies are TCA = 1,500 + 5504 + QA% TCB = 1,200 + 2008 + 208> Assume that the firms form a cartel to act as a monopolist and maximize total industry profits (sum of Firm A and Firm B profits). In such a case, Company A will produce units and sell at Similarly, Company B will produce units and sell at At the optimum output levels, Company A earns total profits of and Company B earns total profits of . Therefore, the total industry profits are At the optimum output levels, the marginal cost of Company A is and the marginal cost of Company B is The following table shows the long-run equilibrium if the firms act independently, as in the Cournot model (i.e., each firm assumes that the other firm's output will not change). Cournot Equilibrium Price Output Profits (%) (units) (%) Company A 145 30 300 Company 145 25 675 B Total Industry 55 $975 Compare the optimal solutions obtained in this exercise with the Cournot equilibrium given in the preceding table. What happens to the optimal selling price, total industry output, and total industry profits when the two firms form a cartel instead of acting independently? Increase Decrease No change Selling price Total industry output Total industry profits
Step by Step Solution
There are 3 Steps involved in it
Step: 1
Get Instant Access to Expert-Tailored Solutions
See step-by-step solutions with expert insights and AI powered tools for academic success
Step: 2
Step: 3
Ace Your Homework with AI
Get the answers you need in no time with our AI-driven, step-by-step assistance
Get Started