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The Relative Rigidity of Monopoly Pricing

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  • Julio J. Rotemberg
  • Garth Saloner

Abstract

This paper seeks to explain why monopolies keep their nominal prices constant for longer periods than do tight oligopolies. We provide two possible explanations. The first is based on the presence of a small fixed cost of changing prices. The second, on small costs of discovering the optimal price. The incentive to change price for duopolists producing differentiated products exceeds that of a single monopolistic firm which produced the same tange of products as the duopoly.

Suggested Citation

  • Julio J. Rotemberg & Garth Saloner, 1986. "The Relative Rigidity of Monopoly Pricing," NBER Working Papers 1943, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:1943
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    1. George A. Akerlof & Janet L. Yellen, 1985. "A Near-Rational Model of the Business Cycle, with Wage and Price Inertia," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 100(Supplemen), pages 823-838.
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    5. Olivier J. Blanchard & Nobuhiro Kiyotaki, 1985. "Monopolistic Competition, Aggregate Externalities and real Effects of Nominal Money," Working papers 401, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Department of Economics.
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