Two firms, A and B, compete as duopolists in an industry. The
firms produce a homogeneous good. Each firm has a cost function
given by:
C(q) = 30q + 1.5q2
The (inverse) market demand for the product can be written as:
P =300−3Q, where Q = q1 + q2, total output.
(a) If each firm acts to maximize its profits, taking its
rival’s output as given (i.e., the firms behave as Cournot
oligopolists), what will be the equilibrium quantities selected by
each firm? What is total output, and what is the market price? What
are the profits for each firm?
It occurs to the managers of Firm A and Firm B that they could
do a lot better by colluding. If the two firms collude, what would
be the profit-maximizing choice of output? The industry price? The
output and the profit for each firm in this case?
Suppose Firm A (leader) can set its output level before Firm B
(follower) does. Use backward induction method to determine how
much will Firm A choose to produce in this case? How much will Firm
B produce? What is the market price, and what is the profit for
each firm? Is firm A better off by choosing its output first?
Explain why or why not.