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Monopolistic competition in general equilibrium: Beyond the CES

Author

Listed:
  • Evgeny Zhelobodko

    (NSU - Novosibirsk State University)

  • Sergey Kokovin

    (NSU - Novosibirsk State University, Sobolev Institute of Mathematics - SB RAS - Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences)

  • Mathieu Parenti

    (UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, PSE - Paris School of Economics - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - ENS-PSL - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - ENPC - École nationale des ponts et chaussées - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement)

  • Jacques-François Thisse

    (PSE - Paris School of Economics - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - ENS-PSL - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - ENPC - École nationale des ponts et chaussées - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement, CORE - Center of Operation Research and Econometrics [Louvain] - UCL - Université Catholique de Louvain = Catholic University of Louvain, CEPR - Centre for Economic Policy Research - Centre for Economic Policy Research, PSE - Paris-Jourdan Sciences Economiques - ENS-PSL - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres - INRA - Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - ENPC - École nationale des ponts et chaussées - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

Abstract

We propose a general model of monopolistic competition and derive a complete characterization of the market equilibrium using the concept of Relative Love for Variety. When the RLV increases with individual consumption, the market generates pro-competitive effects. When it decreases, the market mimics anti-competitive behavior. The CES is a borderline case. We extend our setting to heterogeneous firms and show that the cutoff cost decreases (increases) when the RLV increases (decreases). Last, we study how combining vertical, horizontal and cost heterogeneity affects our results.

Suggested Citation

  • Evgeny Zhelobodko & Sergey Kokovin & Mathieu Parenti & Jacques-François Thisse, 2011. "Monopolistic competition in general equilibrium: Beyond the CES," PSE Working Papers halshs-00566431, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:psewpa:halshs-00566431
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://shs.hal.science/halshs-00566431v1
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    Cited by:

    1. Igor Bykadorov & Andrea Ellero & Stefania Funari & Sergey Kokovin & Pavel Molchanov, 2016. "Painful Birth of Trade Under Classical Monopolistic Competition," HSE Working papers WP BRP 132/EC/2016, National Research University Higher School of Economics.
    2. Lu, Yi & Tao, Zhigang & Yu, Linhui, 2011. "Agglomeration and Markup," MPRA Paper 38974, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised May 2012.
    3. Costas Arkolakis & Arnaud Costinot & Dave Donaldson & Andrés Rodríguez-Clare, 2019. "The Elusive Pro-Competitive Effects of Trade," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 86(1), pages 46-80.
    4. Pascal Belan & Clément Carbonnier & Martine Carré, 2017. "Tax devaluation with endogenous margins," Working Papers hal-01515806, HAL.
    5. Paolo Bertoletti & Federico Etro, 2014. "Pricing to market in the Krugman model," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 34(1), pages 459-468.
    6. Zhelobodko, E. & Sidorov, A. & Thisse, J.-F., 2013. "Monopolistic Competition vs Oligopoly in the "Large Economy": How Much Is Difference?," Journal of the New Economic Association, New Economic Association, vol. 19(3), pages 10-26.
    7. Igor A. Bykadorov & Alexey A. Gorn & Sergey G. Kokovin & Evgeny V. Zhelobodko, 2014. "Losses From Trade In Krugman’s Model: Almost Impossible," HSE Working papers WP BRP 61/EC/2014, National Research University Higher School of Economics.
    8. Commendatore, Pasquale & Kubin, Ingrid & Sushko, Iryna, 2022. "Big or small? A new economic geography model with an endogenous switch in the market structure," Chaos, Solitons & Fractals, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    9. Mathieu Parenti & Alexander V. Sidorov & Jacques-François Thisse & Evgeny V. Zhelobodko, 2017. "Cournot, Bertrand or Chamberlin: Toward a reconciliation," International Journal of Economic Theory, The International Society for Economic Theory, vol. 13(1), pages 29-45, March.
    10. Feenstra, Robert C., 2018. "Restoring the product variety and pro-competitive gains from trade with heterogeneous firms and bounded productivity," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 110(C), pages 16-27.
    11. Bykadorov, Igor & Gorn, Alexey & Kokovin, Sergey & Zhelobodko, Evgeny, 2015. "Why are losses from trade unlikely?," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 35-38.
    12. Vladimir Matveenkov, 2012. "Structure of Equilibria in a Model of Endogenous Growth with Horizontal Innovations," DEGIT Conference Papers c017_051, DEGIT, Dynamics, Economic Growth, and International Trade.
    13. Steinwender, Claudia, 2015. "The roles of import competition and export opportunities for technical change," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 61154, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    14. Parenti, Mathieu & Sidorov, Alexander & Thisse, Jacques-François, 2014. "Revisiting Cournot and Bertrand in the presence of income effects," MPRA Paper 69641, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    15. Yoshitsugu Kanemoto, 2012. "Cost-Benefit Analysis in Monopolistic Competition Models of Urban Agglomeration," GRIPS Discussion Papers 12-04, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies.

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    JEL classification:

    • D43 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - Oligopoly and Other Forms of Market Imperfection
    • F12 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Models of Trade with Imperfect Competition and Scale Economies; Fragmentation
    • L13 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Oligopoly and Other Imperfect Markets

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