In: Economics
Two firms compete by advertising. Given the profit matrix for this advertising game, identify each firm’s best response to its rival’s possible actions. Does either firm have a dominant strategy? What is the Nash equilibrium?
Firm 1 |
|||
Do Not Advertise |
Advertise |
||
|
Do Not Advertise |
1 |
0 |
|
2 |
1 |
How does your answer change if Firm 1 gets 3 instead of 1 when both firms advertise?
Given that firm 2 do not advertise, firm 1's best response is do
not advertise(1).
Given that firm 2 advertise, firm 1's best response is do not
advertise(2).
So, firm 1's dominant strategy is do not advertise
because it is always chosen by firm 1 irrespective of firm 2's
strategy.
Given that firm 1 do not advertise, firm 2's best response is
advertise(4).
Given that firm 1 advertise, firm 2's best response is
advertise(3).
So, firm 2's dominant strategy is to advertise
because it is always chosen by firm 2 irrespective of firm 1's
strategy.
The NE is their dominant strategy equilibrium where firm 1 do no advertise and firm 2 advertises.
When firm 1 gets 3 when both firms advertise,
Given that firm 2 do not advertise, firm 1's best response is do
not advertise(1).
Given that firm 2 advertise, firm 1's best response is advertise(3)
because 3 > 2.
So, firm 1 does not have any dominant strategy
because there is no strategy which is always chosen by it
irrespective of firm 2's choice.
Now, the NE is for both firms to advertise because their best response occurs simultaneously when they both advertise.