When OPEC raised the price of oil dramatically in the mid-1970s, experts said it was unlikely that the cartel could stay together over the long term—that the incentives for individual members to cheat would become too strong. More than forty years later, OPEC still exists. Why do you think OPEC has been able to beat the odds and continue to collude?

When OPEC raised the price of oil dramatically in the mid-1970s, experts said it was unlikely that the cartel could stay together over the long term—that the incentives for individual members to cheat would become too strong. More than forty years later, OPEC still exists. Why do you think OPEC has been able to beat the odds and continue to collude?

Economics (MindTap Course List)

13th Edition

ISBN:9781337617383

Author:Roger A. Arnold

Publisher:Roger A. Arnold

Chapter24: Monopolistic Competition, Oligopoly, And Game Theory

Section24.3: Price And Output Under Cartel Theory

Problem 1ST

See similar textbooks

Similar questions

When OPEC raised the price of oil dramatically in the mid-1970s, experts said it was unlikely that the cartel could stay together over the long term—that the incentives for individual members to cheat would become too strong. More than forty years later, OPEC still exists. Why do you think OPEC has been able to beat the odds and continue to collude? Hint: You may wish to consider non-economic reasons. Hint: You may wish to consider non-economic reasons.
Even when allowed to collude, firms in an oligopoly may choose to cheat on their agreements with the rest of the cartel. Why?
In order to be successful, a cartel must find a way to encourage members to produce more than they would otherwise produce. agree on the total level of production for the cartel, but they need not agree on the amount produced by each member. agree on the total level of production and on the amount produced by each member. agree on the prices charged by each member, but they need not agree on amounts produced.
Why has the OPEC oil cartel succeeded in raising prices substantially while the CIPEC copper cartel has not? What conditions are necessary for successful cartelization?
What is a cartel? Explain the coordination problem it faces.
Discuss the possible deviations from perfect competition and then focus on oligopolies. How can cartels coordinate to affect markets? What affects antitrust enforcers’ ability to detect cartels? Discuss with reference to one or more examples.
The demand for a product is Q = 100 P. Initially the marginal cost is MC0 = 40 and the price is P0 = 40. (a) What is the total surplus and If a cartel forms, the price rises to P1 = 70, and the marginal cost stays the same at MC1 = 40. What is the total surplus with a cartel? (b) If a merger happens, the price would become P2 = 70 and the marginal cost would become MC2 = 30. What is the total surplus after the merger? (c) Consider again the merger. Keeping all the others parameters fifixed, for what values of P2 should the merger be allowed? (Your can say something like “the merger should be allowed if P2 is more than 50”, or “the merger should be allowed if P2 is less than 50”.)
If a group of sellers could form a cartel, what quantity and price would they try to set? What is the prisoner's dilemma, and what does it have to do with oligopoly?
Why are cartel agreements often not successful? Different firms experience different costs. All parties would make more money if everyone increased production. One party has an incentive to cheat to make more profit?
OPEC is a petroleum cartel, a group of oil producing countries whose objective is to coordinate and unify petroleum policies. What type of market structure is a cartel?
What problems usually make cartels collapse? How was OPEC able to avoid this fate, at least through the mid-1980s?