(A) Assume That There Are Only Two Firms in an Industry

question 11

Essay

(a) Assume that there are only two firms in an industry - a home firm and a foreign firm - and that the firms are competing in third-country markets. (You can have them competing in each other's domestic markets if you wish.) Explain a "reaction function diagram" for the two firms, including the definition of a "reaction function" in this context and a brief discussion of why the reaction functions slope as they do (although you do not need to derive the functions formally). Then use a reaction function diagram (possibly along with other diagrams) to explain how a "strategic trade policy" action by the home firm's government can potentially enhance the home firm's market share in third-country markets.
(b) Briefly explain, in a two-country setting, how tariff reaction functions of the two governments can be constructed. Then, in a broader context, briefly indicate why this type of "game" can lead to a need for multilateral trade negotiations (such as those sponsored by GATT/WTO).

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Definitions:

Invoice Price

The amount charged by a seller for goods or services, exclusive of any discounts or allowances.

Journal Entries

The written records of financial transactions in the accounting system, indicating the accounts and amounts debited and credited.

Journal Entries

Journal entries are the initial records of financial transactions in the accounting system, documenting the details of each transaction in chronological order.

Bank Reconciliation

The procedure of ensuring the balances of a cash account in a firm's accounting books match the corresponding figures on a bank statement.