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Centrality and Pricing in Spatially Differentiated Markets: The Case of Gasoline

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  • Matthias Firgo
  • Dieter Pennerstorfer

    (WIFO)

  • Christoph Weiss

Abstract

This paper highlights the importance of "centrality" for pricing. Firms characterised by a more central position in a spatial network are more powerful in terms of having a stronger impact on their competitors' prices and on equilibrium prices. These propositions are derived from a simple theoretical model and tested empirically for the retail gasoline market in Vienna (Austria). We compute different measures of network centrality by using information on the locations of gasoline stations in the road network. Results from a spatial autoregressive model confirm that the strategic interaction in pricing between competitors is significantly related to their degree of centrality.

Suggested Citation

  • Matthias Firgo & Dieter Pennerstorfer & Christoph Weiss, 2012. "Centrality and Pricing in Spatially Differentiated Markets: The Case of Gasoline," WIFO Working Papers 432, WIFO.
    • Handle: RePEc:wfo:wpaper:y:2012:i:432
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    Cited by:

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    2. Firgo, Matthias & Pennerstorfer, Dieter & Weiss, Christoph R., 2015. "Centrality and pricing in spatially differentiated markets: The case of gasoline," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 81-90.
    3. Firgo, Matthias & Pennerstorfer, Dieter & Weiss, Christoph R., 2016. "Network centrality and market prices: Empirical evidence," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 79-83.
    4. Ushchev, Philip & Zenou, Yves, 2018. "Price competition in product variety networks," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 110(C), pages 226-247.
    5. Balaguer, Jacint & Ripollés, Jordi, 2021. "Does multimarket contact affect prices in the retail fuel industry? First empirical evidence," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    6. Lau, C. Oscar, 2022. "Travel Circle: A Model of Supply Chains," MPRA Paper 115291, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    7. Xu Bai & Jinxi Wu & Yun Liu & Yihan Xu, 2020. "Research on the impact of global innovation network on 3D printing industry performance," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 124(2), pages 1015-1051, August.
    8. Pessoa, João Paulo & Rezende, Leonardo & Assunção, Juliano, 2019. "Flex cars and competition in fuel retail markets," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 145-184.
    9. Marina Di Giacomo & Wolfgang Nagl & Philipp Steinbrunner, 2022. "Trump Digs Votes - The Effect of Trump's Coal Campaign on the Presidential Ballot in 2016," CESifo Working Paper Series 9817, CESifo.
    10. Firgo, Matthias & Kügler, Agnes, 2018. "Cooperative pricing in spatially differentiated markets," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 51-67.
    11. Matthias Firgo & Dieter Pennerstorfer & Christoph R. Weiss, 2015. "Network Centrality and Market Prices. An Empirical Note," WIFO Working Papers 503, WIFO.
    12. Karpf, Andreas & Mandel, Antoine & Battiston, Stefano, 2018. "Price and network dynamics in the European carbon market," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 153(C), pages 103-122.
    13. Adriana Nikolic & Christoph Weiss, 2014. "Spatial interactions in location decisions: Empirical evidence from a Bayesian spatial probit model," Department of Economics Working Papers wuwp177, Vienna University of Economics and Business, Department of Economics.
    14. Vásquez Cordano, Arturo Leonardo & Rojas, Pedro & Aurazo, José, 2021. "Pricing Coordination in a Spatial Context: Evidence from the Retail Vehicular Natural Gas Market of Peru," Documentos de Trabajo 006, Escuela de Postgrado GERENS.
    15. Eleftheriou, Konstantinos & Polemis, Michael, 2016. "Gasoline Price Wars: Spatial Dependence Awakens," MPRA Paper 70037, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    16. Pennerstorfer, Dieter, 2017. "Can competition keep the restrooms clean? Price, quality and spatial competition," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 117-136.
    17. Bergantino, Angela Stefania & Capozza, Claudia & Intini, Mario, 2018. "Empirical investigation of retail gasoline prices," Working Papers 18_5, SIET Società Italiana di Economia dei Trasporti e della Logistica.
    18. Chang, Kai & Zhang, Chao, 2018. "Asymmetric dependence structure between emissions allowances and wholesale diesel/gasoline prices in emerging China's emissions trading scheme pilots," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 124-136.
    19. Nguyen-Ones , Mai & Steen, Frode, 2018. "Market Power in Retail Gasoline Markets," Discussion Paper Series in Economics 21/2019, Norwegian School of Economics, Department of Economics, revised 01 Jul 2019.
    20. LeSage, James P. & Vance, Colin & Chih, Yao-Yu, 2017. "A Bayesian heterogeneous coefficients spatial autoregressive panel data model of retail fuel duopoly pricing," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 46-55.
    21. Ushchev, Philip & Zenou, Yves, 2018. "Price competition in product variety networks," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 110(C), pages 226-247.
    22. Bergantino, Angela S. & Capozza, Claudia & Intini, Mario, 2020. "Empirical investigation of retail fuel pricing: The impact of spatial interaction, competition and territorial factors," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    23. Dieter Pennerstorfer, 2014. "Price and Quality Competition in Spatial Markets. The Case of Camping Sites," WIFO Working Papers 466, WIFO.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Gasoline prices; Network centrality; Spatial differentiation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C21 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Cross-Sectional Models; Spatial Models; Treatment Effect Models
    • D43 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - Oligopoly and Other Forms of Market Imperfection
    • L11 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Production, Pricing, and Market Structure; Size Distribution of Firms
    • L81 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Retail and Wholesale Trade; e-Commerce
    • 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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