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Equilibrium vertical differentiation in a Bertrand model with capacity precommitment

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  • BOCCARD, Nicolas
  • WAUTHY, Xavier Y.

Abstract

Both quality differentiation and capacity commitment have been shown to relax price competition. However, their joint influence on the outcome of price competition has not yet been assessed. In this article, we consider a three-stage game in which firms choose quality, then commit to capacity and, finally, compete in price. When the cost of quality is negligible, we show that firms do not differentiate their products in a subgame perfect equilibrium, in other words, capacity precommitment completely eliminates the incentive to differentiate by quality.
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Suggested Citation

  • BOCCARD, Nicolas & WAUTHY, Xavier Y., 2010. "Equilibrium vertical differentiation in a Bertrand model with capacity precommitment," LIDAM Reprints CORE 2246, Université catholique de Louvain, Center for Operations Research and Econometrics (CORE).
    • Handle: RePEc:cor:louvrp:2246
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ijindorg.2009.09.005
    Note: In : International Journal of Industrial Organization, 28(3), 288-297, 2010
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    Cited by:

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    2. Li, Youping, 2014. "Price leadership in a vertically differentiated market," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 67-70.
    3. Aigner, Rafael & Weber, Katharina, 2017. "The Fehmarn Belt duopoly – Can the ferry compete with a tunnel?," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 1-15.
    4. Sreya Kolay & Rajeev K. Tyagi, 2022. "On the Effects of Raised Rival’s Costs," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 60(4), pages 567-586, June.
    5. Makoto Yano & Takashi Komatsubara, 2012. "Price Competition or Tacit Collusion," KIER Working Papers 807, Kyoto University, Institute of Economic Research.
    6. James A. Brander & Barbara J. Spencer, 2015. "Endogenous Horizontal Product Differentiation under Bertrand and Cournot Competition: Revisiting the Bertrand Paradox," NBER Working Papers 20966, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    7. Xavier Y Wauthy, 2010. "Market coverage and the nature of product differentiation: a note," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 30(2), pages 1129-1136.
    8. Emanuele Bacchiega & Antonio Minniti, 2015. "Training and Product Quality in Unionized Oligopolies," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 82, pages 1261-1301, December.
    9. Ibrahima BARRY & Olivier BONROY & Paolo G. GARELLA, 2014. "Labelling by a for-Profit Certifier," Departmental Working Papers 2014-07, Department of Economics, Management and Quantitative Methods at Università degli Studi di Milano, revised 27 Feb 2016.
    10. Wang, Rong-Kuan & Hu, Die, 2017. "Time-cost substitutability, earlycutting threat, and innovation timing," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 156(C), pages 88-91.
    11. Makoto Yano & Takashi Komatsubara, 2018. "Price competition or price leadership," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 66(4), pages 1023-1057, December.
    12. WAUTHY, Xavier Y., 2014. "From Bertrand to Cournot via Kreps and Scheinkman: a hazardous journey," LIDAM Discussion Papers CORE 2014026, Université catholique de Louvain, Center for Operations Research and Econometrics (CORE).
    13. Breitmoser, Yves, 2012. "On the endogeneity of Cournot, Bertrand, and Stackelberg competition in oligopolies," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 30(1), pages 16-29.
    14. Nadar, Emre & Ertürk, Mine Su, 2021. "Eco-design of eco-labels with coarse grades," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    15. George Geronikolaou, 2018. "A Note on Vertical Differentiation of Durable Goods: Sellers, Renters and Moral Hazard," Journal of Industry, Competition and Trade, Springer, vol. 18(1), pages 97-106, March.
    16. Boccard, Nicolas & Wauthy, Xavier, 2003. "Sales Restriction, Quality Selection and the Mode of Competition," Working Papers of the Department of Economics, University of Girona 5, Department of Economics, University of Girona.

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