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Tacit collusion with price-matching punishments

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  • Lu, Yuanzhu
  • Wright, Julian

Abstract

Tacit collusion is explored under a strategy in which, loosely speaking, firms match the lowest price set by any firm in the previous period. Conditions are provided under which this strategy supports collusive outcomes in a subgame perfect equilibrium. In contrast to traditional results, the highest collusive price is always lower than the monopoly price. It corresponds to the unique Nash equilibrium price when upward and downward price deviations are matched. Our paper provides a game theoretic interpretation of the old kinked demand curve theory which unlike earlier attempts does not depart from standard timing assumptions to do so.

Suggested Citation

  • Lu, Yuanzhu & Wright, Julian, 2010. "Tacit collusion with price-matching punishments," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 28(3), pages 298-306, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:indorg:v:28:y:2010:i:3:p:298-306
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    Cited by:

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    2. Marcelo Resende & Rodrigo M. Zeidan, 2011. "Tacit Collusion under Imperfect Monitoring in the Canadian Manufacturing Industry: An Empirical Study," CESifo Working Paper Series 3623, CESifo.
    3. Wright, Julian, 2013. "Punishment strategies in repeated games: Evidence from experimental markets," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 91-102.
    4. Pio Baake & Ulrich Schwalbe, 2013. "Price Guarantees, Consumer Search, and Hassle Costs," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 1335, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.
    5. Trost, Michael, 2022. "Unraveling the spreading pattern of collusively effective competition clauses," Hohenheim Discussion Papers in Business, Economics and Social Sciences 01-2022, University of Hohenheim, Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Sciences.
    6. Harrington, Joseph E., 2017. "A theory of collusion with partial mutual understanding," Research in Economics, Elsevier, vol. 71(1), pages 140-158.
    7. Porter, Robert H., 2020. "Mergers and coordinated effects," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    8. Sylwester Bejger, 2015. "Testing Parallel Pricing Behavior in the Polish Wholesale Fuel Market: an ARDL – Bound Testing Approach," Dynamic Econometric Models, Uniwersytet Mikolaja Kopernika, vol. 15, pages 111-128.
    9. Arcan Nalca, 2017. "Price-matching guarantees in dual channels," Quantitative Marketing and Economics (QME), Springer, vol. 15(2), pages 165-186, June.
    10. Joseph E. Harrington, Jr., 2012. "A Theory of Tacit Collusion," Economics Working Paper Archive 588, The Johns Hopkins University,Department of Economics.
    11. Bottasso, Anna & Marocco, Paolo & Robbiano, Simone, 2020. "Price matching and platform pricing," MPRA Paper 104811, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    12. Choné, Philippe & Linnemer, Laurent, 2020. "Linear demand systems for differentiated goods: Overview and user’s guide," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    13. Joseph E. Harrington, Jr., 2012. "Evaluating Mergers for Coordinated Effects and the Role of 'Parallel Accommodating Conduct'," Economics Working Paper Archive 601, The Johns Hopkins University,Department of Economics.
    14. Bejger Sylwester, 2016. "Theoretical Model of Pricing Behavior on the Polish Wholesale Fuel Market," Folia Oeconomica Stetinensia, Sciendo, vol. 16(1), pages 286-300, December.
    15. Stefano Colombo, 2012. "Collusion in two models of spatial competition with quantity-setting firms," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 48(1), pages 45-69, February.

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