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Positional effects, product quality and regulation in duopoly

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  • Luca Lambertini
  • Raimondello Orsini

Abstract

We investigate positional effects in a vertically differentiated duopoly, evaluated against the first best. Positional concerns distort the allocation of consumers across varieties, as well as the average quality. If the external effect is sufficiently relevant, the resulting welfare loss is increasing in the extent of the externality itself. The beneficial effect of regulation through a minimum quality standard is analysed.

Suggested Citation

  • Luca Lambertini & Raimondello Orsini, 2005. "Positional effects, product quality and regulation in duopoly," Recherches économiques de Louvain, De Boeck Université, vol. 71(4), pages 367-381.
    • Handle: RePEc:cai:reldbu:rel_714_0367
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Giulio Ecchia & Luca Lambertini, 1997. "Minimum Quality Standards and Collusion," Journal of Industrial Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(1), pages 101-113, March.
    2. Crampes, Claude & Hollander, Abraham, 1995. "Duopoly and quality standards," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 39(1), pages 71-82, January.
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    6. Basu, Kaushik, 1987. "Monopoly, quality uncertainty and 'status' goods," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 5(4), pages 435-446.
    7. Lambertini, Luca & Mosca, Manuela, 1999. "On the Regulation of a Vertically Differentiated Market," Australian Economic Papers, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(4), pages 354-366, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Klarl, Torben, 2013. "Consumer's Environmental Awareness and the Role of (Green) Entrepreneurship: Lessons from Environmental Quality Competition and R&D Activities for Environmental Policy," VfS Annual Conference 2013 (Duesseldorf): Competition Policy and Regulation in a Global Economic Order 79729, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    2. Luca Savorelli & Jacob Seifert, 2016. "Spatial competition and social welfare in the presence of non-monotonic network effects," Discussion Paper Series, School of Economics and Finance 201615, School of Economics and Finance, University of St Andrews, revised 06 Jun 2017.
    3. Dorothée Brécard, 2013. "Environmental Quality Competition and Taxation in the Presence of Green Network Effect Among Consumers," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 54(1), pages 1-19, January.
    4. Evdokia Dritsa & Eleftherios Zacharias, 2012. "Price Competition in a Duopoly Characterized by Positional Effects," Working Papers 12-21, NET Institute.
    5. George Deltas & Eleftherios Zacharias, 2018. "Product Proliferation and Pricing in a Market with Positional Effects," Working Papers 242312853, Lancaster University Management School, Economics Department.
    6. Petal Jean Hackett, 2012. "Cutting too Close? Design Protection and Innovation in Fashion Goods," CESifo Working Paper Series 3716, CESifo.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D62 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Externalities
    • L13 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Oligopoly and Other Imperfect Markets
    • L51 - Industrial Organization - - Regulation and Industrial Policy - - - Economics of Regulation

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