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Product Differentiation, Monopolistic Competition, and Public Policy

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  • Roger W. Koenker
  • Martin K. Perry

Abstract

This paper generalizes a model of monopolistic competition attributable to Spence (1976). Firms produce symmetrically differentiated products with declining or U-shaped average costs. Free entry drives profits to zero in equilibrium. Spence finds that when firms behave "competitively," in a specific sense, the market equilibrium yields too little product diversity. However, when Spence's "competitive" behavioral assumption is relaxed, we find that the market may produce excessive diversity; this occurs when product differentiation is weak relative to scale economies of production. We also study two second-best regulatory policies and characterize conditions under which they are potentially effective in improving the market outcome.

Suggested Citation

  • Roger W. Koenker & Martin K. Perry, 1981. "Product Differentiation, Monopolistic Competition, and Public Policy," Bell Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 12(1), pages 217-231, Spring.
    • Handle: RePEc:rje:bellje:v:12:y:1981:i:spring:p:217-231
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. David M. Cutler & Robert S. Huckman & Jonathan T. Kolstad, 2010. "Input Constraints and the Efficiency of Entry: Lessons from Cardiac Surgery," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 2(1), pages 51-76, February.
    2. Miao, Chun-Hui, 2016. "Licensing a technology standard," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 33-61.
    3. Xavier Vives, 2008. "Innovation And Competitive Pressure," Journal of Industrial Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 56(3), pages 419-469, December.
    4. Tian Wu & Bohan Zeng & Yali He & Xin Tian & Xunmin Ou, 2017. "Sustainable Governance for the Opened Electric Vehicle Charging and Upgraded Facilities Market," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(11), pages 1-22, November.
    5. Franklin Mixon & Rand Ressler, 2000. "A Note on Elasticity and Price Dispersions in the Music Recording Industry," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 17(4), pages 465-470, December.
    6. Yaroslav Kryukov & Ulrich Doraszelski & David Besanko, 2015. "Is Dynamic Competition Socially Beneficial? The Case of Price as Investment," 2015 Meeting Papers 296, Society for Economic Dynamics.
    7. Yan, Haomin, 2020. "Auctions with quantity externalities and endogenous supply," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    8. Simon P. Anderson & Andre de Palma, 1989. "The Logit as a Model of Product Differentiation: Further Results and Extensions," Discussion Papers 913, Northwestern University, Center for Mathematical Studies in Economics and Management Science.
    9. Claudio-Pachecano, L. & Larralde, H., 2020. "Agglomeration or separation: Store patterns through an optimal location model," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 542(C).
    10. David M. Cutler & Robert S. Huckman & Jonathan T. Kolstad, 2009. "Input Constraints and the Efficiency of Entry: Lessons from Cardiac Surgery," NBER Working Papers 15214, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    11. Harhoff, Dietmar, 1991. "R&D incentives and spillovers in a two-industry model," ZEW Discussion Papers 91-06, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.

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