Microeconomics 19th Edition by Campbell McConnell,Stanley Brue,Sean Flynn

Exercise 2

Consider whether the promises and threats made toward each other by duopolists and oligopolists are always credible (believable)a. As a first step toward thinking about whether this policy is credible, consider the situation facing both firms in the second game. If each firm bases its decision on what to do in the second game entirely on the payouts facing the firms in the second game, which strategy will each firm choose in the second game?
b. Now move backward in time one step. Imagine that it is the start of the first game and each firm must decide what to do during the first game. Given your answer to 2a, is the publicly stated policy credible? (Hint: No matter what happens in the first game, what will both firms do in the second game?)
c. Given your answers to 2a and 2b, what strategy will each firm choose in the first game?