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Quality Choice, Fixed Costs and Equilibrium in Models of Vertical Differentiation

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  • M. Alvisi

Abstract

I provide a full characterization of the quality choice in duopolies with vertical differentiation, without assuming ex-ante if the market is fully covered or not. This will allow to show that covered or uncovered market configurations are endogenous outcomes of firms strategic interaction. To this purpose, I assume that firms are characterized by quadratic fixed costs of quality improvements and check whether pure-strategy subgame perfect equilibria with a corner solution always exist. Finally, my results are compared to the quality choice that maximizes the total surplus of the economy. I show that the welfaremaximizing choice of qualities does not have to be found in the same market configuration of the corresponding market equilibrium.

Suggested Citation

  • M. Alvisi, 2000. "Quality Choice, Fixed Costs and Equilibrium in Models of Vertical Differentiation ," Working Papers 437, Dipartimento Scienze Economiche, Universita' di Bologna.
    • Handle: RePEc:bol:bodewp:437
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