Academic Integrity: tutoring, explanations, and feedback — we don’t complete graded work or submit on a student’s behalf.

PERFORMANCE EVALUATION Computer Chip Company assembles personal computers and se

ID: 1162307 • Letter: P

Question

PERFORMANCE EVALUATION Computer Chip Company assembles personal computers and sells them in the retail marketplace. The company is organized into two profit centers: the assembly division and the distribution division. The demand curve facing the company (and the distribution division) is P=2,400 – 10Q. The marginal cost for assembly (which includes purchasing the parts) is constant at $550. The distribution division faces constant marginal distribution costs of $50 per unit.

A. What is the profit-maximizing retail price and output for the firm as a whole?

B. If the assembly division has monopoly power to set the transfer price, what transfer price will it select (assuming it knows all the information above)? Calculate the profits for the two-divisions in this case.

Explanation / Answer

Answer

A)

A firms maximize its profit when MR =MC

here MC = 550 + 50 = $600

MR = (d/dQ)(Q)(2400 - 10Q) = 2400 - 20Q

Hence we have

2400 - 20Q = 600

=> Q = 1800/20 = 90

and P = 2400 - 10*90 = $1500

B)

Market price is 1500 and Assemly cost is 550

hence optimum transfer price should be 550 + (1500 - 550)/2 = 550 + 950/2 = 550 + 475 = $1025

Profit for each division will be 475*90 = 42750