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Location in a vertically differentiated industry

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  • Emmanuele, BACCHIEGA
  • Antonio, MINNITI

    (UNIVERSITE CATHOLIQUE DE LOUVAIN, Department of Economics)

Abstract

We analyze a model of a vertically differentiated duopoly with two regions. These two locations differ for the market size or for the distribution of the willingness to pay for quality of their consumers. Firms sequentially choose to settle in one region and then simultaneously compete in prices, selling their products both on the local market and on the foreigner one. We show that the decision whether to agglomerate or not crucially depends on the extent of regions’ asymmetries, but, counter intuitively, there are parametric configurations in which the model predicts that the leader (the first firm choosing location) settles either in the poorer or in the smaller region, leaving the other one to the follower.. Welfare analysis completes the paper.

Suggested Citation

  • Emmanuele, BACCHIEGA & Antonio, MINNITI, 2005. "Location in a vertically differentiated industry," Discussion Papers (ECON - Département des Sciences Economiques) 2005050, Université catholique de Louvain, Département des Sciences Economiques.
    • Handle: RePEc:ctl:louvec:2005050
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Regions; Vertical Differentiation; Oligopoly;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D43 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - Oligopoly and Other Forms of Market Imperfection
    • L13 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Oligopoly and Other Imperfect Markets
    • R12 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Size and Spatial Distributions of Regional Economic Activity; Interregional Trade (economic geography)

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