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Dynamics of Rate-of-Return Regulation

Author

Listed:
  • Alexander Nezlobin

    (Stern School of Business, New York University, New York, New York 10012)

  • Madhav V. Rajan

    (Graduate School of Business, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305)

  • Stefan Reichelstein

    (Graduate School of Business, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305)

Abstract

Under rate-of-return regulation, a firm's product prices are constrained by the requirement that investors not earn more than an allowable return on the firm's assets. This paper examines the dynamic properties of the rate-of-return regulation process when the regulated firm periodically undertakes new capacity investments. Our analysis identifies prices that correspond to stationary values of the regulation process. It is shown that the underlying depreciation rules for property, plant, and equipment determine whether these stationary prices will be above, equal to, or below the long-run marginal cost of providing the regulated service. We provide conditions under which the rate-of-return regulation process is dynamically stable so that prices indeed converge to their stationary values. The overall efficiency of this regulation method is shown to depend on how well the applicable depreciation schedule matches the productivity pattern of the assets in use. This paper was accepted by Gérard P. Cachon, accounting.

Suggested Citation

  • Alexander Nezlobin & Madhav V. Rajan & Stefan Reichelstein, 2012. "Dynamics of Rate-of-Return Regulation," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 58(5), pages 980-995, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:ormnsc:v:58:y:2012:i:5:p:980-995
    DOI: 10.1287/mnsc.1110.1464
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    6. Gary Biglaiser & Michael Riordan, 2000. "Dynamics of Price Regulation," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 31(4), pages 744-767, Winter.
    7. Madhav V. Rajan & Stefan Reichelstein, 2009. "Depreciation Rules and the Relation between Marginal and Historical Cost," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(3), pages 823-865, June.
    8. Schmalensee, Richard, 1989. "An Expository Note on Depreciation and Profitability under Rate-of-Return Regulation," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 1(3), pages 293-298, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Dmitry Livdan & Alexander Nezlobin, 2017. "Accounting rules, equity valuation, and growth options," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 22(3), pages 1122-1155, September.
    2. Sunil Dutta & Stefan J. Reichelstein, 2019. "Capacity Rights and Full Cost Transfer Pricing," CESifo Working Paper Series 7968, CESifo.
    3. A. Gürhan Kök & Kevin Shang & Şafak Yücel, 2020. "Investments in Renewable and Conventional Energy: The Role of Operational Flexibility," Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, INFORMS, vol. 22(5), pages 925-941, September.
    4. Küpper, Hans-Ulrich & Pedell, Burkhard, 2016. "Which asset valuation and depreciation method should be used for regulated utilities? An analytical and simulation-based comparison," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 88-103.
    5. Stefan J. Reichelstein & Anshuman Sahoo, 2015. "Cost- and Price Dynamics of Solar PV Modules," CESifo Working Paper Series 5674, CESifo.
    6. Livdan, Dmitry & Nezlobin, Alexander, 2022. "Incentivizing irreversible investment," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 110531, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    7. Alexander Nezlobin & Madhav V. Rajan & Stefan Reichelstein, 2016. "Structural properties of the price-to-earnings and price-to-book ratios," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 21(2), pages 438-472, June.
    8. Christian Lohmann, 2015. "Managerial incentives for capacity investment decisions," Journal of Management Control: Zeitschrift für Planung und Unternehmenssteuerung, Springer, vol. 26(1), pages 27-49, April.
    9. Sunil Dutta & Stefan Reichelstein, 2021. "Capacity Rights and Full-Cost Transfer Pricing," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 67(2), pages 1303-1325, February.
    10. Gunther Friedl & Stefan Reichelstein & Amadeus Bach & Maximilian Blaschke & Lukas Kemmer, 2023. "Applications of the levelized cost concept," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 93(6), pages 1125-1148, August.
    11. Guthrie, Graeme, 2020. "Regulation, welfare, and the risk of asset stranding," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 273-287.
    12. Comello, Stephen D. & Reichelstein, Stefan J. & Sahoo, Anshuman & Schmidt, Tobias S., 2017. "Enabling Mini-Grid Development in Rural India," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 94-107.
    13. Schosser, Josef, 2019. "Consistency between principal and agent with differing time horizons: Computing incentives under risk," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 277(3), pages 1113-1123.

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