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When Excessive Consumption Is Rational

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  • Romano, Richard E

Abstract

If average cost is everywhere above market demand, it is usually argued that the nondiscriminating firm will shut down, although the first-best outcome may dictate production. In this setting, it is shown that there is often a Nash equilibrium in consumption that will keep the firm producing. Selfish consumers engage in excessive (beyond demand) consumption to keep the firm in business and to protect their surpluses. This is shown to be true in a simple model with perfect information and also in a more realistic model in which consumers are uncertain about the firm's costs. Copyright 1991 by American Economic Association.

Suggested Citation

  • Romano, Richard E, 1991. "When Excessive Consumption Is Rational," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 81(3), pages 553-564, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aecrev:v:81:y:1991:i:3:p:553-64
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    Cited by:

    1. Ellman, Matthew & Hurkens, Sjaak, 2019. "Optimal crowdfunding design," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 184(C).
    2. Glazer, Amihai & Konrad, Kai A., 1993. "Ameliorating congestion by income redistribution," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 23(5), pages 579-584, November.
    3. C. Robert Clark & Mattias K. Polborn, 2011. "Strategic Buying to Prevent Seller Exit," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 20(2), pages 339-378, June.
    4. Linda Cohen, "undated". "Patented drugs, generic alternatives, and intellectual property regimes in developing countries," American Law & Economics Association Annual Meetings 1066, American Law & Economics Association.
    5. Jen Shang & Rachel Croson, 2009. "A Field Experiment in Charitable Contribution: The Impact of Social Information on the Voluntary Provision of Public Goods," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 119(540), pages 1422-1439, October.
    6. Gilles Chemla, 1998. "Dynamic Adverse Selection and Debt," FMG Discussion Papers dp288, Financial Markets Group.
    7. Andrea Buraschi & Francesca Cornelli, 2014. "The Economics of Donations and Enlightened Self†interest," European Financial Management, European Financial Management Association, vol. 20(1), pages 1-32, January.
    8. Chemla, Gilles & Faure-Grimaud, Antoine, 1998. "Dynamic adverse selection and debt," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 119154, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    9. Ma, Xuejing & Wang, Zetao & Liu, Hongju, 2022. "Do long-life customers pay more in pay-what-you-want pricing? Evidence from live streaming," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 142(C), pages 998-1009.
    10. Pedro Garcia-del-Barrio, 2017. "Pareto-improving income redistribution: expanding consumer access to the vaccines market," Economics of Governance, Springer, vol. 18(3), pages 275-313, August.
    11. Romano, Richard & Yildirim, Huseyin, 2001. "Why charities announce donations: a positive perspective," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 81(3), pages 423-447, September.
    12. Smith, Vincent H. & Kehoe, Michael R. & Cremer, Mary E., 1995. "The private provision of public goods: Altruism and voluntary giving," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 58(1), pages 107-126, September.
    13. Cornelli, Francesca & Buraschi, Andrea, 2002. "Donations," CEPR Discussion Papers 3488, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.

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