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The optimal regulation of a risky monopoly

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  • Hiriart, Yolande
  • Thomas, Lionel

Abstract

We study the potential conflict between cost minimization and investment in prevention for a risky venture. A natural monopoly is regulated i) for economic purposes; ii) because it can cause losses of substantial size to third parties (the environment or people). The regulator observes the production cost without being able to distinguish the initial type (an adverse selection parameter) from the effort (a moral hazard variable). In addition, the investment in prevention is non observable (another moral hazard variable) and the monopoly is protected by limited liability. We fully characterize the optimal regulation in this context of asymmetric information plus limited liability. We show that incentives to reduce cost and to invest in safety are always compatible. But, in some cases, higher rents have to be given up by the regulator.

Suggested Citation

  • Hiriart, Yolande & Thomas, Lionel, 2017. "The optimal regulation of a risky monopoly," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 111-136.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:indorg:v:51:y:2017:i:c:p:111-136
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ijindorg.2017.01.002
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    Cited by:

    1. Daiki Kishishita & Susumu Sato, 2021. "Optimal risk regulation of monopolists with subjective risk assessment," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 59(3), pages 251-279, June.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Risk regulation; Incentives; Moral hazard; Adverse selection; Insolvency;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L51 - Industrial Organization - - Regulation and Industrial Policy - - - Economics of Regulation
    • D82 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Asymmetric and Private Information; Mechanism Design
    • Q58 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environmental Economics: Government Policy

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