Question

Suppose there are only two firms that sell smartphones: Flashfone and Pictech. The following payoff matrix shows the profit (in millions of dollars) each company will earn, depending on whether it sets a high or low price for its phones.

Pictech Pricing
High Low
Flashfone Pricing High 11, 11 2, 18
Low 18, 2 10, 10

For example, the lower-left cell shows that if Flashfone prices low and Pictech prices high, Flashfone will earn a profit of $18 million, and Pictech will earn a profit of $2 million. Assume this is a simultaneous game and that Flashfone and Pictech are both profit-maximizing firms.

a. If Flashfone prices high, Pictech will make more profit if it chooses a (high,low) _____ price, and if Flashfone prices low, Pictech will make more profit if it chooses a(high,low)_______ price.
b. If Pictech prices high, Flashfone will make more profit if it chooses a(high,low)______price, and if Pictech prices low, Flashfone will make more profit if it chooses a (high,low) ______ price.
c. Considering all of the information given, pricing high (is, is not) ______ a dominant strategy for both Flashfone and Pictech.

Answer 1

Flashfone and Pictech

a. If Flashfone prices high, Pictech will make more profit if it chooses a (high,low) __low___ price, and if Flashfone prices low, Pictech will make more profit if it chooses a(high,low)___low____ price.

b. If Pictech prices high, Flashfone will make more profit if it chooses a(high,low)__low____price, and if Pictech prices low, Flashfone will make more profit if it chooses a (high,low) __low____ price.

c. Considering all of the information given, pricing high (is, is not) _is not_ a dominant strategy for both Flashfone and Pictech.

Step-by-step explanation:

a) Data and Calculations:

Pictech Pricing

High Low

Flashfone Pricing High 11, 11 2, 18

Low 18, 2 10, 10

b) A dominant strategy exists if Pictech or Flashfone would implement a particular strategy that benefits it no matter what the other firm does.