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The monopolist's optimal R&D portfolio

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  • Luca Lambertini

Abstract

The monopolist's incentives towards product and process innovations are evaluated against the social optimum. The main findings are that (i) the incentive to invest in cost-reducing R&D is inversely related to the number of varieties being supplied at equilibrium, under both regimes; (ii) distortions obtain under monopoly, w.r.t. both the number of varieties and the technology. With substitutes, the monopolist's product range is smaller than under social planning, while with complements the product range is the same under both regimes. For any given number of goods, the monopolist operates at a higher marginal cost than the planner does. Copyright 2003, Oxford University Press.

Suggested Citation

  • Luca Lambertini, 2003. "The monopolist's optimal R&D portfolio," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 55(4), pages 561-578, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:oxecpp:v:55:y:2003:i:4:p:561-578
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    Cited by:

    1. Luca Lambertini, 2009. "Optimal Product Proliferation in Monopoly: A Dynamic Analysis," Review of Economic Analysis, Digital Initiatives at the University of Waterloo Library, vol. 1(1), pages 80-97, September.
    2. Luca Lambertini & Andrea Mantovani, 2010. "Process and product innovation: A differential game approach to product life cycle," International Journal of Economic Theory, The International Society for Economic Theory, vol. 6(2), pages 227-252, June.
    3. Emanuele Bacchiega & Luca Lambertini & Andrea Mantovaini, 2011. "Process And Product Innovation In A Vertically Differentiated Industry," International Game Theory Review (IGTR), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 13(02), pages 209-221.
    4. Lambertini, Luca & Orsini, Raimondello & Palestini, Arsen, 2017. "On the instability of the R&D portfolio in a dynamic monopoly. Or, one cannot get two eggs in one basket," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 193(C), pages 703-712.
    5. L. Lambertini & R. Orsini, 2014. "Process Innovation and Product Quality Improvement in a Dynamic Monopoly," Working Papers wp926, Dipartimento Scienze Economiche, Universita' di Bologna.
    6. Dawid, Herbert & Keoula, Michel Y. & Kopel, Michael & Kort, Peter M., 2015. "Product innovation incentives by an incumbent firm: A dynamic analysis," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 411-438.
    7. Lambertini, Luca & Mantovani, Andrea, 2009. "Process and product innovation by a multiproduct monopolist: A dynamic approach," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 27(4), pages 508-518, July.
    8. Li, Shoude & Ni, Jian, 2016. "A dynamic analysis of investment in process and product innovation with learning-by-doing," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 104-108.
    9. Luca Lambertini & Raimondello Orsini, 2015. "Quality Improvement and Process Innovation in Monopoly: A Dynamic Analysis," Working Paper series 15-12, Rimini Centre for Economic Analysis.
    10. Antonioli, Davide & Marzucchi, Alberto & Rentocchini, Francesco & Vannuccini, Simone, 2024. "Robot adoption and product innovation," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 53(6).
    11. Ping Lin, 2007. "Process R&D and Product Line Deletion by a Multiproduct Monopolist," Journal of Economics, Springer, vol. 91(3), pages 245-262, July.
    12. Andrea Mantovani, 2006. "Complementarity between product and process innovation in a monopoly setting," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 15(3), pages 219-234.
    13. Saha, Souresh, 2014. "Firm's objective function and product and process R&D," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 484-494.

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