Mats, who has reference-dependent preferences over beer and money, goes to the local pub with a friend, but is not planning on drinking any beer or spending any of his 50 Euro in cash. Let his end-of-evening outcomes in pints of beer consumed and cash be c1 and c2, respectively, and let his reference point in pints of beer and cash be r1 and r2, respectively. Then, Mats’ utility is given by v(6c1 − 6r1) + v(c2 − r2), where v(x) = x for x ≥ 0, and v(x) = 1.5x for x < 0. (a) Suppose that the price of beer is pB. Calculate Mats’ utility from drinking one pint of beer at this price. What is Mats’ utility from drinking no beer? And, comparing these two utility values, what is the maximum price pB that Mats would pay for one beer? (b) Suppose that Mats unexpectedly gets a pint of beer as part of a promotion at the pub, and incorporates its consumption into his reference point in beer. [Hint: this means that (r1, r2) = (1, 50).] Suppose that Mats could sell the beer at a price pS. Calculate Mats’ utility from selling the beer at this price. What is the minimum price pS at which Mats would sell the beer?
Mats, who has reference-dependent preferences over beer and money, goes to the local pub with a friend, but is not planning on drinking any beer or spending any of his 50 Euro in cash. Let his end-of-evening outcomes in pints of beer consumed and cash be c1 and c2, respectively, and let his reference point in pints of beer and cash be r1 and r2, respectively. Then, Mats’ utility is given by
v(6c1 − 6r1) + v(c2 − r2), where v(x) = x for x ≥ 0, and v(x) = 1.5x for x < 0.
(a) Suppose that the price of beer is pB. Calculate Mats’ utility from drinking one pint of beer at this price. What is Mats’ utility from drinking no beer? And, comparing these two utility values, what is the maximum price pB that Mats would pay for one beer?
(b) Suppose that Mats unexpectedly gets a pint of beer as part of a promotion at the pub, and incorporates its consumption into his reference point in beer. [Hint: this means that (r1, r2) = (1, 50).] Suppose that Mats could sell the beer at a price pS. Calculate Mats’ utility from selling the beer at this price. What is the minimum price pS at which Mats would sell the beer?
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