Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.2478/bsrj-2014-0006
Stackelberg Equilibrium of the Client and the Producer of Embedded Software
Ilko Vrankić
; Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Zagreb, Croatia
Mirjana Pejić Bach
orcid.org/0000-0003-3899-6707
; Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Zagreb, Croatia
Mira Krpan
; Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
Background: Our research assumes that the software quality affects the product validity. This assumption also refers to embedded software. Objectives: This paper analyses the Stackelberg equilibrium in which the consumer is the leader and the producer of embedded software is the follower. Methods/Approach: A comparative statics analysis of a producer's reaction is carried out and confirms our intuition that the product price is positively correlated to the number of employees and the software quality. Results: An increase in wage has an adverse effect on producer’s reaction. Derived results are illustrated numerically and Stackelberg and cooperative equilibrium are compared. It is shown that the welfare loss is smaller with higher quality software for any number of employees. Conclusions: Although the equilibrium involves less employed workers, the optimal software quality is higher. The optimal product price is lower, which puts the consumer and the producer in a better position.
Keywords
embedded software; Stackelberg equilibrium; producer's reaction function; comparative statics analysis; welfare loss
Hrčak ID:
118873
URI
Publication date:
15.3.2014.
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