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Nonrenewable Resources, Strategic Behavior and the Hotelling Rule: An Experiment

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  • Roel van Veldhuizen
  • Joep Sonnemans

Abstract

We use a laboratory experiment to investigate a novel reason for the lack of empirical support for the Hotelling rule for nonrenewable resources. Specifically, we test whether producers with large resource stocks focus less on the dynamic component of their extraction decision, making them shift extraction to the present and focus more on strategic behavior. Exploiting exogenous variation in stock size in a nonrenewable resource duopoly laboratory experiment, we find that producers with large stocks indeed pay significantly less attention to dynamic optimization, and shift extraction to the present, leading them to overproduce relative to the Hotelling rule.

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  • Roel van Veldhuizen & Joep Sonnemans, 2018. "Nonrenewable Resources, Strategic Behavior and the Hotelling Rule: An Experiment," Journal of Industrial Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 66(2), pages 481-516, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jindec:v:66:y:2018:i:2:p:481-516
    DOI: 10.1111/joie.12173
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    6. Dou, Shi-quan & Liu, Jiang-yi & Xiao, Jian-zhong & Pan, Wen, 2020. "Economic feasibility valuing of deep mineral resources based on risk analysis: Songtao manganese ore - China case study," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
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    9. Jörg Spiller & Friedel Bolle, 2013. "Inter-Generational Thoughtfulness in a Dynamic Public Good Experiment," Discussion Paper Series RECAP15 008, RECAP15, European University Viadrina, Frankfurt (Oder).
    10. Alves, Joana Duarte Ouro & Faria, Weslem Rodrigues, 2024. "Reserves, well drilling and production: Assessing the optimal trajectory of oil extraction for Brazil," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    11. Kheiravar, Khaled H, 2019. "Economic and Econometric Analyses of the World Petroleum Industry, Energy Subsidies, and Air Pollution," Institute of Transportation Studies, Working Paper Series qt3gj151w9, Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Davis.
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    13. Quemin, Simon, 2022. "Raising climate ambition in emissions trading systems: The case of the EU ETS and the 2021 review," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • C90 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - General
    • Q31 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Nonrenewable Resources and Conservation - - - Demand and Supply; Prices
    • Q41 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Demand and Supply; Prices
    • L13 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Oligopoly and Other Imperfect Markets

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