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Bundling, Competition and Quality Investment: a Welfare Analysis

Author

Listed:
  • Alessandro Avenali

    (Dipartimento di Informatica e Sistemistica "Antonio Ruberti" Sapienza, Universita' di Roma)

  • Anna D'Annunzio

    (Dipartimento di Informatica e Sistemistica "Antonio Ruberti" Sapienza, Universita' di Roma)

  • Pierfrancesco Reverberi

    (Dipartimento di Informatica e Sistemistica "Antonio Ruberti" Sapienza, Universita' di Roma)

Abstract

We show how a monopolist in a primary market uses mixed bundling to extract surplus from quality-enhancing investment by a single-product rival in a complementary market, or even force the rival to provide low quality. In our model, bundling does not hinge on commitment ability. Although we assume that bundling creates efficiency gains, we find that bundling reduces consumer surplus and may reduce social welfare, even if the rival is not foreclosed, and investment is not blockaded. Nonetheless, bundling improves welfare when prevents inefficient investment. We propose to check bundled offers via a price test that controls the monopoly component stand-alone price to preserve efficiencies from both bundling and investment. When the rival invests, the test improves consumer surplus and welfare compared with the 'do-nothing' scenario, or a ban on bundling. The test is not consistent with the predatory pricing framework. Qualitative results hold when we endogenize the bundling strategy.

Suggested Citation

  • Alessandro Avenali & Anna D'Annunzio & Pierfrancesco Reverberi, 2011. "Bundling, Competition and Quality Investment: a Welfare Analysis," DIS Technical Reports 2011-02, Department of Computer, Control and Management Engineering, Universita' degli Studi di Roma "La Sapienza".
    • Handle: RePEc:aeg:wpaper:2011-2
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Sheng, Dian & Li, Zhi-Chun & Xiao, Yi-bin & Fu, Xiaowen, 2015. "Slot auction in an airport network with demand uncertainty," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 79-100.
    2. Avenali, Alessandro & Matteucci, Giorgio & Reverberi, Pierfrancesco, 2014. "Broadband investment and welfare under functional and ownership separation," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 28(C), pages 70-82.
    3. Avenali, Alessandro & Boitani, Andrea & Catalano, Giuseppe & D’Alfonso, Tiziana & Matteucci, Giorgio, 2018. "Assessing standard costs in local public bus transport: A hybrid cost model," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 48-57.
    4. D׳Annunzio, Anna & Reverberi, Pierfrancesco, 2016. "Co-investment in ultra-fast broadband access networks: Is there a role for content providers?," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 40(4), pages 353-367.
    5. Avenali, Alessandro & Bracaglia, Valentina & D'Alfonso, Tiziana & Reverberi, Pierfrancesco, 2018. "Strategic formation and welfare effects of airline-high speed rail agreements," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 117(PA), pages 393-411.
    6. Correa, Alexander, 2020. "Empaquetamiento e incentivos para mejoras en calidad || Packaging and quality improvements," Revista de Métodos Cuantitativos para la Economía y la Empresa = Journal of Quantitative Methods for Economics and Business Administration, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Department of Quantitative Methods for Economics and Business Administration, vol. 30(1), pages 163-195, December.
    7. Hui‐Ling Chung & Jin‐Li Hu & Yan‐Shu Lin, 2022. "The leverage effect of bundling on monopoly power and product quality," Manchester School, University of Manchester, vol. 90(6), pages 668-688, December.
    8. Tiziana D'Alfonso & Valentina Bracaglia & Yulai Wan, 2015. "Airport cities and multiproduct pricing," DIAG Technical Reports 2015-14, Department of Computer, Control and Management Engineering, Universita' degli Studi di Roma "La Sapienza".
    9. Morales Sarriera, Javier & Salvucci, Frederick P. & Zhao, Jinhua, 2018. "Worse than Baumol's disease: The implications of labor productivity, contracting out, and unionization on transit operation costs," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 10-16.
    10. Avenali, Alessandro & Boitani, Andrea & Catalano, Giuseppe & D’Alfonso, Tiziana & Matteucci, Giorgio, 2016. "Assessing standard costs in local public bus transport: Evidence from Italy," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 164-174.
    11. Page, Kenneth & Pérez, Juan & Telha, Claudio & García-Echalar, Andrés & López-Ospina, Héctor, 2021. "Optimal bundle composition in competition for continuous attributes," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 293(3), pages 1168-1187.
    12. Raghu Nandan Giri & Shyamal Kumar Mondal & Manoranjan Maiti, 2020. "Bundle pricing strategies for two complementary products with different channel powers," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 287(2), pages 701-725, April.
    13. Avenali, Alessandro & D'Alfonso, Tiziana & Leporelli, Claudio & Matteucci, Giorgio & Nastasi, Alberto & Reverberi, Pierfrancesco, 2015. "An incentive pricing mechanism for efficient airport slot allocation in Europe," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 27-36.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Bundling; Vertical differentiation; Price discrimination; Price test;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L13 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Oligopoly and Other Imperfect Markets
    • L41 - Industrial Organization - - Antitrust Issues and Policies - - - Monopolization; Horizontal Anticompetitive Practices

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