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=400−QA−QBP=400−QA−QB where QAQA and QBQB are the quantities sold by the respective firms and P is the selling price. Total cost functions for the two companies are TCA=1,500+110QA+QA2TCA=1,500+110QA+QA2 TCB=1,200+40QB+2QB2TCB=1,200+40QB+2QB2 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 290 60 5,700 Company B 290 50 6,300 Total Industry   110 $12,000 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

ENGR.ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
14th Edition
ISBN:9780190931919
Author:NEWNAN
Publisher:NEWNAN
Chapter1: Making Economics Decisions
Section: Chapter Questions
Problem 1QTC
icon
Related questions
Question
100%

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=400−QA−QBP=400−QA−QB

where QAQA and QBQB are the quantities sold by the respective firms and P is the selling price. Total cost functions for the two companies are

TCA=1,500+110QA+QA2TCA=1,500+110QA+QA2

TCB=1,200+40QB+2QB2TCB=1,200+40QB+2QB2

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 290 60 5,700
Company B 290 50 6,300
Total Industry   110 $12,000

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 
Expert Solution
trending now

Trending now

This is a popular solution!

steps

Step by step

Solved in 2 steps

Blurred answer
Knowledge Booster
Multiple Equilibria
Learn more about
Need a deep-dive on the concept behind this application? Look no further. Learn more about this topic, economics and related others by exploring similar questions and additional content below.
Similar questions
Recommended textbooks for you
ENGR.ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
ENGR.ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
Economics
ISBN:
9780190931919
Author:
NEWNAN
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
Principles of Economics (12th Edition)
Principles of Economics (12th Edition)
Economics
ISBN:
9780134078779
Author:
Karl E. Case, Ray C. Fair, Sharon E. Oster
Publisher:
PEARSON
Engineering Economy (17th Edition)
Engineering Economy (17th Edition)
Economics
ISBN:
9780134870069
Author:
William G. Sullivan, Elin M. Wicks, C. Patrick Koelling
Publisher:
PEARSON
Principles of Economics (MindTap Course List)
Principles of Economics (MindTap Course List)
Economics
ISBN:
9781305585126
Author:
N. Gregory Mankiw
Publisher:
Cengage Learning
Managerial Economics: A Problem Solving Approach
Managerial Economics: A Problem Solving Approach
Economics
ISBN:
9781337106665
Author:
Luke M. Froeb, Brian T. McCann, Michael R. Ward, Mike Shor
Publisher:
Cengage Learning
Managerial Economics & Business Strategy (Mcgraw-…
Managerial Economics & Business Strategy (Mcgraw-…
Economics
ISBN:
9781259290619
Author:
Michael Baye, Jeff Prince
Publisher:
McGraw-Hill Education