Question

Consider a situation where a firm owned by you is competing against an identical rival firm. You are able to choose how much of your good (quantity) to supply to the market. You are given the option to set your quantity first, wait and let your rival set their quantity, or have both you and your rival set their quantities at the same time. What should you do

Answer 1

Available Options Are:

A. Set your quantity first.

B. Set your quantity second.

C. Set your quantity at the same time.

D. It doesn't matter.

Answer:

Option A. Set your quantity first.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Cournot Equilibrium says that the decisions are made simultaneously and this simultaneous decision is that each firm will choose its own quantity, given what quantity of output its rival has set. Every firm will be producing a quantity that maximizes its profits and this approach will lower the profits because of Cournot Equilibrium.

The firm that sets its quantity first is at better position because the other firms might think about the worse market condition taking Cournot effect into account.

The optimal choice would be to set our quantity first, hence the option A is the right option.