It is expected that any of 50 firms that specialize on producing mousetraps can invest 150 and develop a new kind of a mousetrap within six months. The expected present value of profit from the patent on this mousetrap is 1000. Assume that the delay of up to six months in developing the new mousetrap results in negligible social costs. (i) What is the socially efficient number of firms to undertake the development of the new mousetrap? (ii) How many firms would participate in the patent race to develop the new mousetrap? (iii) Assuming that the investments to develop the mousetrap are made at time 0 (before anybody develops the new mousetrap), what is the social loss from the patent race?

ENGR.ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
14th Edition
ISBN:9780190931919
Author:NEWNAN
Publisher:NEWNAN
Chapter1: Making Economics Decisions
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It is expected that any of 50 firms that
specialize on producing mousetraps can invest
150 and develop a new kind of a mousetrap
within six months. The expected present value
of profit from the patent on this mousetrap is
1000. Assume that the delay of up to six
months in developing the new mousetrap
results in negligible social costs.
(i) What is the socially efficient number of firms
to undertake the development of the new
mousetrap?
(ii) How many firms would participate in the
patent race to develop the new mousetrap?
(iii) Assuming that the investments to develop
the mousetrap are made at time 0 (before
anybody develops the new mousetrap), what is
the social loss from the patent race?
Transcribed Image Text:It is expected that any of 50 firms that specialize on producing mousetraps can invest 150 and develop a new kind of a mousetrap within six months. The expected present value of profit from the patent on this mousetrap is 1000. Assume that the delay of up to six months in developing the new mousetrap results in negligible social costs. (i) What is the socially efficient number of firms to undertake the development of the new mousetrap? (ii) How many firms would participate in the patent race to develop the new mousetrap? (iii) Assuming that the investments to develop the mousetrap are made at time 0 (before anybody develops the new mousetrap), what is the social loss from the patent race?
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