The market for bagels contains two firms: BagelWorld (BW) and Bagels'R'Us (BRU). The owners of the two firms decide to fix the price of bagels. The table below shows how each firm's profit (in dollars) depends on whether they abide by the agreement or cheat on the agreement. Suppose the game above is repeated every day, and both firms adopt the following strategy: cooperate on the first day, then if the other firm cheats, cheat the next day, and if the other firm abides, abide the next day. This type of strategy is known as: ______.

Question

The market for bagels contains two firms: BagelWorld (BW) and Bagels'R'Us (BRU). The owners of the two firms decide to fix the price of bagels. The table below shows how each firm's profit (in dollars) depends on whether they abide by the agreement or cheat on the agreement.  Suppose the game above is repeated every day, and both firms adopt the following strategy: cooperate on the first day, then if the other firm cheats, cheat the next day, and if the other firm abides, abide the next day. This type of strategy is known as: ______.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A tit-for-tat strategy involves initially cooperating, and then copying the other player's previous move. This strategy helps to maintain cooperation between the two firms and prevent a complete breakdown of the agreement, leading to both firms having the highest profits possible.

The Market for Bagels Contains Two Firms: BagelWorld (BW) and Bagels'R'Us