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Corporate social responsibility and the choice of price versus quantities

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  • Fanti, Luciano
  • Buccella, Domenico

Abstract

This paper revisits the classic issue of comparison between price and quantity competition in the presence of Corporate Social Responsible (CSR) private firms. The results regarding CSR firms are in sharp contrast to the conventional wisdom regarding profit-seeking firms. In fact, profits can be larger under Cournot (resp. Bertrand) competition also when products are complements (resp. substitutes). Moreover, if the goods are substitutes, then the dominant strategy for each firm may be the choice of the price contract in the subgame perfect Nash equilibrium. Also, the dominant Bertrand strategy equilibrium when the goods are complements may be Pareto-inferior from the firms’ perspective. Finally, the cornerstone belief that Bertrand competition is more efficient than Cournot competition may also be reversed.

Suggested Citation

  • Fanti, Luciano & Buccella, Domenico, 2018. "Corporate social responsibility and the choice of price versus quantities," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 71-78.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:japwor:v:48:y:2018:i:c:p:71-78
    DOI: 10.1016/j.japwor.2018.08.004
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Leal, Mariel & Garcia, Arturo & Lee, Sang-Ho, 2020. "Strategic CSR and merger in multiproduct mixed markets with state-holding corporation," MPRA Paper 102351, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 10 Aug 2020.
    3. Fukuda, Katsufumi & Ouchida, Yasunori, 2020. "Corporate social responsibility (CSR) and the environment: Does CSR increase emissions?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    4. Jine Qian & Qiang Gong & Leonard F.S. Wang, 2021. "Corporate social responsibility, loan commitment, and social welfare in network duopoly," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 42(4), pages 952-960, June.
    5. Yasuhiko Nakamura, 2022. "Endogenous Determination of Strategies in a Kantian Duopoly," Journal of Industry, Competition and Trade, Springer, vol. 22(3), pages 519-533, December.
    6. Yasuhiko Nakamura, 2022. "Corporate social responsibility and endogenous competition structure in an industry composed of firms with biased managers," International Review of Economics, Springer;Happiness Economics and Interpersonal Relations (HEIRS), vol. 69(2), pages 301-321, June.
    7. Leal, Mariel & García, Arturo & Lee, Sang-Ho, 2021. "Strategic CSR and merger decisions in multiproduct mixed markets with state-holding corporation," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 319-333.
    8. Chokri Aloui & Khaïreddine Jebsi, 2022. "Does corporate social responsibility solve the chicken‐and‐egg problem for a two‐sided platform?," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 43(7), pages 3235-3256, October.
    9. Ding Chen & Leonard F. S. Wang & Ji Sun, 2023. "Does CSR influence privatization wave?," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 44(2), pages 1088-1097, March.
    10. Yasuhiko Nakamura, 2022. "Corporate social responsibility focusing on consumer surplus and endogenous competition structure: A case of managerial delegation," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 43(7), pages 3000-3018, October.
    11. Bárcena-Ruiz, Juan Carlos & Garzón, María Begoña & Sagasta, Amagoia, 2023. "Environmental corporate social responsibility, R&D and disclosure of “green” innovation knowledge," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    12. Nobuyuki Takashima & Yasunori Ouchida, 2020. "Quality‐improving R&D and merger policy in a differentiated duopoly: Cournot and Bertrand equilibria," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 41(7), pages 1338-1348, October.
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    14. Hong-Ren Din & Chia-Hung Sun, 2023. "Centralized or decentralized bargaining in a vertically-related market with endogenous price/quantity choices," Journal of Economics, Springer, vol. 138(1), pages 73-94, January.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    CSR; Cournot-Bertrand duopoly; Profitability; Social welfare;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D21 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Theory
    • L13 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Oligopoly and Other Imperfect Markets
    • L14 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Transactional Relationships; Contracts and Reputation
    • M14 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - Corporate Culture; Diversity; Social Responsibility

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