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Cartel Formation in Cournot Competition with Asymmetric Costs: A Partition Function Approach

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  • Takaaki Abe

    (School of Political Science and Economics, Waseda University, 1-6-1, Nishi-waseda, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-8050, Japan)

Abstract

In this paper, we use a partition function form game to analyze cartel formation among firms in Cournot competition. We assume that a firm obtains a certain cost advantage that allows it to produce goods at a lower unit cost. We show that if the level of the cost advantage is “moderate”, then the firm with the cost advantage leads the cartel formation among the firms. Moreover, if the cost advantage is relatively high, then the formed cartel can also be stable in the sense of the core of a partition function form game. We also show that if the technology for the low-cost production can be copied, then the cost advantage may prevent a cartel from splitting.

Suggested Citation

  • Takaaki Abe, 2021. "Cartel Formation in Cournot Competition with Asymmetric Costs: A Partition Function Approach," Games, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-16, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jgames:v:12:y:2021:i:1:p:14-:d:490803
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Takaaki Abe, 2018. "Consistency and the core in games with externalities," International Journal of Game Theory, Springer;Game Theory Society, vol. 47(1), pages 133-154, March.
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    11. Takaaki Abe & Yukihiko Funaki, 2017. "The non-emptiness of the core of a partition function form game," International Journal of Game Theory, Springer;Game Theory Society, vol. 46(3), pages 715-736, August.
    12. Claude d'Aspremont & Alexis Jacquemin & Jean Jaskold Gabszewicz & John A. Weymark, 1983. "On the Stability of Collusive Price Leadership," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 16(1), pages 17-25, February.
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    Cited by:

    1. Nora Grisáková & Peter Štetka, 2022. "Cournot’s Oligopoly Equilibrium under Different Expectations and Differentiated Production," Games, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-17, December.
    2. Goerlach, Joseph-Simon & Motz, Nicolas, 2024. "A General Measure of Bargaining Power for Non-cooperative Games," IZA Discussion Papers 16809, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    3. Justin Chan, 2024. "Implementations of Cooperative Games Under Non-Cooperative Solution Concepts," Papers 2402.14952, arXiv.org, revised Apr 2024.

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