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PQ strategies in monopolistic competition: Some insights from the lab

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  • Assenza, Tiziana
  • Grazzini, Jakob
  • Hommes, Cars
  • Massaro, Domenico

Abstract

We present results from 50-rounds experimental markets in which firms decide repeatedly both on price and quantity of a perishable good. The experiment is designed to study the price–quantity setting behavior of subjects acting as firms in monopolistic competition. In the implemented treatments subjects are asked to make both production and pricing decisions given different information sets. We investigate how subjects decide on prices and quantities in response to signals from the firms׳ internal conditions, i.e., individual profits, excess demand, and excess supply, and the market environment, i.e., aggregate price level. We find persistent heterogeneity in individual behavior, with about 46% of market followers, 28% profit-adjusters and 26% demand adjusters. Nevertheless, prices and quantities tend to converge to the monopolistically competitive equilibrium and we find that subjects׳ behavior is well described by learning heuristics.

Suggested Citation

  • Assenza, Tiziana & Grazzini, Jakob & Hommes, Cars & Massaro, Domenico, 2015. "PQ strategies in monopolistic competition: Some insights from the lab," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 62-77.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:dyncon:v:50:y:2015:i:c:p:62-77
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jedc.2014.08.017
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    2. Simone Moriconi, 2016. "Taxation, Industry Integration and Production Efficiency," CESifo Working Paper Series 6001, CESifo.
    3. Otto, C. & Willner, S.N. & Wenz, L. & Frieler, K. & Levermann, A., 2017. "Modeling loss-propagation in the global supply network: The dynamic agent-based model acclimate," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 232-269.
    4. Elenka Brenna & Lara Gitto, 2016. "Financing elderly care in Italy and Europe. Is there a common vision?," DISCE - Working Papers del Dipartimento di Economia e Finanza def047, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Dipartimenti e Istituti di Scienze Economiche (DISCE).
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    7. Russel Davidson & Andrea Monticini, 2014. "Heteroskedasticity-and-Autocorrelation-Consistent Bootstrapping," DISCE - Working Papers del Dipartimento di Economia e Finanza def012, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Dipartimenti e Istituti di Scienze Economiche (DISCE).
    8. Annalisa Fabretti & Tommy Gärling & Stefano Herzel & Martin Holmen, 2017. "Convex incentives in financial markets: an agent-based analysis," Decisions in Economics and Finance, Springer;Associazione per la Matematica, vol. 40(1), pages 375-395, November.
    9. Angelo Baglioni & Andrea Boitani & Massimo Bordignon, 2016. "Labor Mobility and Fiscal Policy in a Currency Union," FinanzArchiv: Public Finance Analysis, Mohr Siebeck, Tübingen, vol. 72(4), pages 371-406, December.
    10. Tiziana Assenza & Te Bao & Cars Hommes & Domenico Massaro, 2014. "Experiments on Expectations in Macroeconomics and Finance," Research in Experimental Economics, in: John Duffy (ed.), Experiments in Macroeconomics, volume 17, pages 11-70, Emerald Publishing Ltd.
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    12. Tiziana Assenza & Domenico Delli Gatti & Jakob Grazzini & Giorgio Ricchiuti, 2016. "Heterogeneous Firms and International Trade: The role of productivity and financial fragility," DISCE - Working Papers del Dipartimento di Economia e Finanza def042, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Dipartimenti e Istituti di Scienze Economiche (DISCE).
    13. Maria Flavia Ambrosanio & Paolo Balduzzi & Massimo Bordignon, 2014. "Economic crisis and fiscal federalism in Italy," Working papers 8, Società Italiana di Economia Pubblica.
    14. Luca Fiorito & Cosma Orsi, 2016. "Survival Value And A Robust, Practical, Joyless Individualism: Thomas Nixon Carver, Social Justice, And Eugenics," DISCE - Working Papers del Dipartimento di Economia e Finanza def044, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Dipartimenti e Istituti di Scienze Economiche (DISCE).
    15. Jakob Grazzini & Alessandro Spelta, 2015. "An empirical analysis of the global input-output network and its evolution," DISCE - Working Papers del Dipartimento di Economia e Finanza def031, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Dipartimenti e Istituti di Scienze Economiche (DISCE).
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Laboratory experiments; Monopolistic competition; Price–quantity behavior;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C91 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Individual Behavior
    • C92 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Group Behavior
    • D43 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - Oligopoly and Other Forms of Market Imperfection

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