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On monopolistic competition and optimal product diversity: workers ’ rents also matter

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  • Pierre M. Picard
  • Eric Toulemonde

    () (CREA, University of Luxembourg)

Abstract

In the Dixit-Stiglitz model of monopolistic competition, entry of firms is socially too small. Other authors have shown that excess entry is also a possibility with other preferences for diversity. We show that workers' rents also contribute to explain excess entry through a general equilibrium mechanism. Larger wages indeed raises the aggregate earnings and firms sales and profits, which entices too many firms to enter. We discuss the possibility of over-provision of varieties by comparing the equilibrium to unconstrained and constrained social optima and to other regulatory framework where wages are not controlled.

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File URL: http://wwwfr.uni.lu/content/download/16901/214247/file/2008-09_On%20monopolistic%20competition%20and%20optimal%20product%20diversity_%20workers%20rents%20also%20matter.pdf
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Bibliographic Info

Paper provided by Center for Research in Economic Analysis, University of Luxembourg in its series CREA Discussion Paper Series with number 08-09.

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Date of creation: 2008
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Handle: RePEc:luc:wpaper:08-09

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  1. Benassy, Jean-Pascal, 1996. "Taste for variety and optimum production patterns in monopolistic competition," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 52(1), pages 41-47, July.
  2. Picard, Pierre M. & Toulemonde, Eric, 2006. "Firms agglomeration and unions," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 50(3), pages 669-694, April.
  3. Combes, Pierre-Philippe & Overman, Henry G., 2004. "The spatial distribution of economic activities in the European Union," Handbook of Regional and Urban Economics, in: J. V. Henderson & J. F. Thisse (ed.), Handbook of Regional and Urban Economics, edition 1, volume 4, chapter 64, pages 2845-2909 Elsevier.
  4. ANDERSON, Simon P. & DE PALMA, André & NESTEROV, Yurii, 1994. "Oligopolistic Competition and the Optimal Provision of Products," CORE Discussion Papers 1994034, Université catholique de Louvain, Center for Operations Research and Econometrics (CORE).
  5. Dixit, Avinash K & Stiglitz, Joseph E, 1975. "Monopolistic Competition and Optimum Product Diversity," The Warwick Economics Research Paper Series (TWERPS) 64, University of Warwick, Department of Economics.
  6. Matsumura, Toshihiro & Okamura, Makoto, 2006. "A note on the excess entry theorem in spatial markets," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 24(5), pages 1071-1076, September.
  7. d'Aspremont, Claude & Dos Santos Ferreira, Rodolphe & Gerard-Varet, Louis-Andre, 1996. "On the Dixit-Stiglitz Model of Monopolistic Competition," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 86(3), pages 623-29, June.
  8. d’ASPREMONT, Cl. & DOS SANTOS FERREIRA, R. & GERARD-VARET, L.-A., 1988. "Unemployment in a Cournot oligopoly model with Ford effects," CORE Discussion Papers 1988018, Université catholique de Louvain, Center for Operations Research and Econometrics (CORE).
  9. Matsumura, Toshihiro & Okamura, Makoto, 2006. "Equilibrium number of firms and economic welfare in a spatial price discrimination model," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 90(3), pages 396-401, March.
  10. McDonald, Ian M & Solow, Robert M, 1981. "Wage Bargaining and Employment," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 71(5), pages 896-908, December.
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