In 1919, General Motors Corporation hired Fisher Body to produce closed metal bodies for their cars. At this time most car bodies were made from wood. The metal body was a novelty, the demand for which and the costs of producing were, to a large extent, unknown.
(a) What types of asset specificity might have developed between GM and Fisher Body as a result of this transaction?
(b) Asset specificity is one condition needed for hold-up to occur. Discuss what else is necessary for hold-up to occur and whether it was likely in this example.
(c) If GM and Fisher Body anticipated possible hold-up problems in this transaction, what types of things might have been in their contract to prevent hold-up?