IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/nbr/nberwo/3782.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Long-Term Contracting and Multiple-Price Systems

Author

Listed:
  • R. Glenn Hubbard
  • Robert J. Weiner

Abstract

This paper examines product markets in which long-term contracts and spot transactions coexist. Such markets are characterized by "multiple-price systems," wherein adjustment to supply and demand shocks occurs through spot prices, while contract prices are fixed, or adjust slowly. We derive the existence of contracts, as well as the equilibrium fraction of spot trade, in the framework of an optimizing model, and analyze the effects of shocks on market equilibrium when some buyers and sellers are "locked in" contractually. The model is employed to interpret the change in the copper market from a multiple-price system to one characterized solely by spot trade.

Suggested Citation

  • R. Glenn Hubbard & Robert J. Weiner, 1991. "Long-Term Contracting and Multiple-Price Systems," NBER Working Papers 3782, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:3782
    Note: IO
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.nber.org/papers/w3782.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Margaret E. Slade, 1991. "Strategic Pricing with Customer Rationing: The Case of Primary Metals," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 24(1), pages 70-100, February.
    2. Gould, John P, 1978. "Inventories and Stochastic Demand: Equilibrium Models of the Firm and Industry," The Journal of Business, University of Chicago Press, vol. 51(1), pages 1-42, January.
    3. Carlton, Dennis W, 1978. "Market Behavior with Demand Uncertainty and Price Inflexibility," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 68(4), pages 571-587, September.
    4. Frederick C. Mills, 1927. "The Behavior of Prices," NBER Books, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc, number mill27-1, March.
    5. Newbery, David M., 1988. "On the accuracy of the mean-variance approximation for futures markets," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 28(1), pages 63-68.
    6. Franklin M. Fisher & Paul H. Cootner & Martin N. Baily, 1972. "An Econometric Model of the World Copper Industry," Bell Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 3(2), pages 568-609, Autumn.
    7. Steven M. Fazzari & R. Glenn Hubbard & Bruce C. Petersen, 1988. "Financing Constraints and Corporate Investment," Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Economic Studies Program, The Brookings Institution, vol. 19(1), pages 141-206.
    8. George J. Stigler & James K. Kindahl, 1970. "The Behavior of Industrial Prices," NBER Books, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc, number stig70-1, March.
    9. Masahiro Kawai, 1983. "Spot and Futures Prices of Nonstorable Commodities Under Rational Expectations," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 98(2), pages 235-254.
    10. Turnovsky, Stephen J, 1983. "The Determination of Spot and Futures Prices with Storable Commodities," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 51(5), pages 1363-1387, September.
    11. Robert E. Hall, 1984. "The Inefficiency of Marginal-Cost Pricing and The Apparent Rigidity of Prices," NBER Working Papers 1347, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    12. Hubbard, R. Glenn & Weiner, Robert J., 1986. "Oil supply shocks and international policy coordination," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 30(1), pages 91-106, February.
    13. John W. Pratt & David A. Wise & Richard Zeckhauser, 1979. "Price Differences in almost Competitive Markets," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 93(2), pages 189-211.
    14. Carlton, Dennis W, 1979. "Vertical Integration in Competitive Markets under Uncertainty," Journal of Industrial Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(3), pages 189-209, March.
    15. R. Glenn Hubbard, 1986. "Supply Shocks and Price Adjustment in the World Oil Market," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 101(1), pages 85-102.
    16. James G. MacKinnon & Nancy D. Olewiler, 1980. "Disequilibrium Estimation of the Demand for Copper," Bell Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 11(1), pages 197-211, Spring.
    17. Rotemberg, Julio J, 1982. "Sticky Prices in the United States," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 90(6), pages 1187-1211, December.
    18. McCafferty, Stephen & Driskill, Robert, 1980. "Problems of Existence and Uniqueness in Nonlinear Rational Expectations Models," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 48(5), pages 1313-1317, July.
    19. Marian Radetzki & Carl Van Duyne, 1985. "The Demand for Scrap and Primary Metal Ores after a Decline in Secular Growth," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 18(2), pages 435-449, May.
    20. Hubbard, R Glenn & Weiner, Robert J, 1989. "Contracting and Price Adjustment in Commodity Markets: Evidence from Copper and Oil," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 71(1), pages 80-89, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Gine,Xavier & Jacoby,Hanan G. & Gine,Xavier & Jacoby,Hanan G., 2016. "Markets, contracts, and uncertainty in a groundwater economy," Policy Research Working Paper Series 7694, The World Bank.
    2. repec:dau:papers:123456789/5372 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. ABADA, Ibrahim & EHRENMANN, Andreas & SMEERS, Yves, 2014. "Endogenizing long-term contracts in gas market models," LIDAM Discussion Papers CORE 2014036, Université catholique de Louvain, Center for Operations Research and Econometrics (CORE).
    4. Mahapatra, Santosh & Levental, Shlomo & Narasimhan, Ram, 2017. "Market price uncertainty, risk aversion and procurement: Combining contracts and open market sourcing alternatives," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 185(C), pages 34-51.
    5. João Teixeira, 2014. "Outsourcing with long term contracts: capital structure and product market competition effects," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 42(2), pages 327-356, February.
    6. Jean-Michel Glachant & Michelle Hallack & Miguel Vazquez, 2014. "Gas network and market diversity in the US, the EU and Australia: A story of network access rights," RSCAS Working Papers 2014/33, European University Institute.
    7. Radetzki, Marian, 2013. "The relentless progress of commodity exchanges in the establishment of primary commodity prices," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(3), pages 266-277.
    8. Glachant, Jean-Michel & Hallack, Michelle & Vazquez, Miguel, 2014. "Gas network and market “à la Carte”: Identifying the fundamental choices," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 31(C), pages 238-245.
    9. Pinelopi K. Goldberg & Rebecca Hellerstein, 2009. "How rigid are producer prices?," Staff Reports 407, Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
    10. Miguel Vazquez & Michelle Hallack & Jean-Michel Glachant, 2013. "Gas Network and Market: à la carte?," RSCAS Working Papers 2013/73, European University Institute.
    11. Robert Amano & Scott Hendry, 2003. "Inflation persistence and costly market share adjustment: a preliminary analysis," BIS Papers chapters, in: Bank for International Settlements (ed.), Monetary policy in a changing environment, volume 19, pages 134-146, Bank for International Settlements.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. R. Glenn Hubbard & Robert J. Weiner, 1985. "Nominal Contracting and Price Flexibility in Product Markets," NBER Working Papers 1738, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Claudio Agostini, 2005. "Testing for Market Power under the Two-Price System in the U.S. Copper Industry," ILADES-UAH Working Papers inv159, Universidad Alberto Hurtado/School of Economics and Business.
    3. Carlton, Dennis W., 1989. "The theory and the facts of how markets clear: Is industrial organization valuable for understanding macroeconomics?," Handbook of Industrial Organization, in: R. Schmalensee & R. Willig (ed.), Handbook of Industrial Organization, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 15, pages 909-946, Elsevier.
    4. Pinelopi Goldberg & Rebecca Hellerstein, 2009. "How Rigid Are Producer Prices?," Working Papers 1184, Princeton University, Department of Economics, Center for Economic Policy Studies..
    5. John W. Keating & Isaac K. Kanyama, 2015. "Is sticky price adjustment important for output fluctuations?," Review of Keynesian Economics, Edward Elgar Publishing, vol. 3(3), pages 392-418, July.
    6. Kofman, Paul & Viaene, Jean-Marie, 2000. "The demise of commodity price agreements: the role of exchange rates and special interests," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 16(4), pages 775-805, November.
    7. Thibault Fally & James Sayre, 2018. "Commodity Trade Matters," 2018 Meeting Papers 172, Society for Economic Dynamics.
    8. Celso Brunetti, Bahattin Buyuksahin, Michel A. Robe, and Kirsten R. Soneson, 2013. "OPEC "Fair Price" Pronouncements and the Market Price of Crude Oil," The Energy Journal, International Association for Energy Economics, vol. 0(Number 4).
    9. Maarten Dossche, 2009. "Understanding Inflation Dynamics.Where Do We Stand?," Review of Business and Economic Literature, KU Leuven, Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB), Review of Business and Economic Literature, vol. 0(2), pages 209-227.
    10. Figuerola-Ferretti, Isabel & Gilbert, Christopher L., 2001. "Price variability and marketing method in non-ferrous metals: : Slade's analysis revisited," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 27(3), pages 169-177, September.
    11. Slade, Margaret E., 1999. "Sticky prices in a dynamic oligopoly: An investigation of (s,S) thresholds," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 17(4), pages 477-511, May.
    12. Alexander L. Wolman, 2007. "The frequency and costs of individual price adjustment," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(6), pages 531-552.
    13. Li, Yanfei & Yao, Shuntian & Chia, Wai-Mun, 2009. "Endogenous Firm and Information Rent Under Demand Uncertainty," MPRA Paper 13506, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 16 Feb 2009.
    14. Pinelopi K. Goldberg & Rebecca Hellerstein, 2009. "How rigid are producer prices?," Staff Reports 407, Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
    15. George Alessandria, 2005. "Consumer search, price dispersion, and international relative price volatility," Working Papers 05-9, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia.
    16. Campbell, Robert B. & Turnovsky, Stephen J., 1985. "An analysis of the stabilizing and welfare effects of intervention in spot and futures markets," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 28(2), pages 165-209, November.
    17. de Meza, David & Reito, Francesco, 2020. "Too much waste, not enough rationing: The failure of stochastic, competitive markets," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    18. Mark J. Roberts & Dylan Supina, 1997. "Output Price and Markup Dispersion in Micro Data: The Roles of Producer Heterogeneity and Noise," NBER Working Papers 6075, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    19. Michael Sattinger, 2002. "A Queuing Model of the Market for Access to Trading Partners," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 43(2), pages 533-548, May.
    20. Nitzan, Jonathan, 1992. "Inflation As Restructuring. A Theoretical and Empirical Account of the U.S. Experience," EconStor Theses, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, number 157989, July.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:3782. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: the person in charge (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/nberrus.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.