An industry consists of three firms with identical costs C (q)18q +q2. Market demand is Q = 150 - p.
I. What is the industry equilibrium (price, output and profits) if the firms have Cournot beliefs?
II. Would it pay for Firm 1 and Firm 2 to merge, if, after the merger, the remaining firm plays Cournot? (Hint: carefully consider if the merged firm would produce using both original firms' plants and just those of one firm.)
III. What happens if their costs are C (q) =18q instead?