Asked by Abigail Zurita on Jun 09, 2024

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(Table: Demand for Crude Oil) Use Table: Demand for Crude Oil.Assume that the crude oil industry is a duopoly and the marginal cost of producing crude oil is zero.Suppose that the two firms are maximizing industry profit and splitting the profit evenly.If firm 1 decides to cheat and increase production by 10 more barrels,the price of crude oil will be:

A) $0.
B) $70.
C) $80.
D) $160.

Marginal Cost

The supplementary expense required to manufacture an additional unit of a product or service.

Crude Oil Price

Refers to the cost per barrel of unrefined petroleum, which fluctuates based on global supply and demand dynamics, geopolitical tensions, and market speculations.

Cheat

An act of dishonesty or unfairness to gain an advantage.

  • Appraise the impact of strategic moves like cheating within the context of oligopolistic markets.
  • Evaluate how cooperative strategies among companies influence market prices, supply amounts, and revenue.
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NG
Nicole GilbertJun 15, 2024
Final Answer :
B
Explanation :
Given that the marginal cost of producing crude oil is zero and the firms are initially maximizing industry profit, if Firm 1 decides to cheat by increasing production, it will affect the market price. Without the specific table data, the general principle in a duopoly (especially in a Cournot model) is that increasing production by one firm, assuming it exceeds the collusion quantity, will lead to a decrease in the market price due to the increased supply. Since we cannot calculate the exact price without the table, and assuming the choices reflect possible outcomes based on typical scenarios, $70 could be considered a plausible price after an increase in production, reflecting a decrease from a higher initial price due to the increased supply.