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Inducing Efficiency in Oligopolistic Markets with Increasing Returns to Scale

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  • Abhijit Sengupta

    ()

  • Yair Tauman

    ()

Abstract

We consider a Cournot Oligopoly market of firms possessing increasing returns to scale technologies. It is shown that an external regulating agency can increase total social welfare without running a deficit. It offers to subsidize one firm an amount which depends on the output level of that firm. The firms bid for this contract and the regulator collects the highest bid and subsidizes the highest bidding firm. It is shown that there exists a subsidy schedule such that (i) The regulator breaks even (namely the winning bid equals the total subsidy) (ii) The winning firm obtains zero net profit and charges a price equal to its average cost (iii) Every other firm willingly exit the market and (iv) Market price decreases, consumers are better off and total welfare improves.

Suggested Citation

  • Abhijit Sengupta & Yair Tauman, 2004. "Inducing Efficiency in Oligopolistic Markets with Increasing Returns to Scale," Department of Economics Working Papers 04-05, Stony Brook University, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:nys:sunysb:04-05
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Sappington, David E M & Sibley, David S, 1988. "Regulating without Cost Information: The Incremental Surplus Subsidy Scheme," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 29(2), pages 297-306, May.
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    3. Veronika Grimm & Frank Riedel & Elmar Wolfstetter, 2000. "Implementing Efficient Market Structure," Econometric Society World Congress 2000 Contributed Papers 0268, Econometric Society.
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    5. Vogelsang, Ingo, 2002. "Incentive Regulation and Competition in Public Utility Markets: A 20-Year Perspective," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 22(1), pages 5-27, July.
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    7. Auriol, Emmanuelle & Laffont, Jean-Jacques, 1992. "Regulation by Duopoly," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 1(3), pages 507-533, Fall.
    8. Milgrom,Paul, 2004. "Putting Auction Theory to Work," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521536721, April.
    9. Jean-Jacques Laffont & Jean Tirole, 1993. "A Theory of Incentives in Procurement and Regulation," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 1, volume 1, number 0262121743, December.
    10. Guesnerie, Roger & Laffont, Jean-Jacques, 1978. "Taxing price makers," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 19(2), pages 423-455, December.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Regulation; Oligopoly; Increasing Returns;

    JEL classification:

    • D43 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - Oligopoly and Other Forms of Market Imperfection
    • H21 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Efficiency; Optimal Taxation
    • L11 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Production, Pricing, and Market Structure; Size Distribution of Firms
    • L13 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Oligopoly and Other Imperfect Markets
    • L51 - Industrial Organization - - Regulation and Industrial Policy - - - Economics of Regulation

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