Confusing Fixed and Variable Costs under Ramsey Regulation

Ramsey regulation, in the context of tariff rebalancing, is analyzed when the regulator is not fully informed about the cost structure of the firm. It is shown that even if the estimated relation between variable costs of the two goods produced is correct, errors regarding the composition of a given total cost between fixed and variable elements result in: (i) the price of the good with a higher (lower) elasticity of demand decreases (increases) as the estimated fixed cost is higher; and (ii) whatever mistake is made, i.e., under or over estimating fixed costs, the profits obtained by the regulated firm are lower than intended.

Investment without regulatory commitment : the case of elastic demand

Includes bibliographical references (p. 9)

Confusing fixed and variable costs under Ramsey regulation

Ramsey regulation, in the context of tariff rebalancing, is analyzed when the regulator is not fully informed about the cost structure of the firm. It is shown that even if the estimated relation between variable costs of the two goods produced is correct, errors regarding the composition of a given total cost between fixed and variable elements result in: (i) the price of the good with a higher (lower) elasticity of demand decreases (increases) as the estimated fixed cost is higher; and (ii) whatever mistake is made, i.e., under or over estimating fixed costs, the profits obtained by the regulated firm are lower than intended.Departamento de Economí

Confusing fixed and variable costs under Ramsey regulation

Ramsey regulation, in the context of tariff rebalancing, is analyzed when the regulator is not fully informed about the cost structure of the firm. It is shown that even if the estimated relation between variable costs of the two goods produced is correct, errors regarding the composition of a given total cost between fixed and variable elements result in: (i) the price of the good with a higher (lower) elasticity of demand decreases (increases) as the estimated fixed cost is higher; and (ii) whatever mistake is made, i.e., under or over estimating fixed costs, the profits obtained by the regulated firm are lower than intended.Departamento de Economí

International expansion, diversification and regulated firms' nonmarket strategy

Previous studies have shown that regulated firms tend to diversify for different reasons than unregulated ones. This is the case for product but also for geographical diversification, i.e. international expansion. The logic generally advanced is that regulated firms tend to diversify when they face costly and difficult relationships with the regulatory authority in charge of their sector. This approach, however, does not explain (1) what is really at the core of the problem in regulated firms’ relationships with regulators, (2) why these firms cannot overcome part of the problem by developing nonmarket strategies –lobbying, campaign contributions, etc.– to influence regulatory decisions, and (3) why they sometimes opt for international expansion rather than product diversification. In this paper, we propose a theoretical model that provides potential answers to these questions. We start by considering the firm-regulator relationship as an incomplete information problem, in which the firms know things that the regulator does not, but can cannot convey hard information about these things. In this setting, we show that when firms face tough nonmarket competition domestically, going abroad can create a mechanism that makes information transmission credible and therefore strengthen their position in their home market. International expansion, in consequence, can be a way to solve some of the problems that regulated firms face at home in addition to a way for these firms to grow their business abroad.International diversification, regulated firms, lobbying

The political economy of international regulatory convergence in public utilities

To what extent should public utilities regulation be expected to converge across countries? When it occurs, will regulatory convergence lead to positive outcomes for utility sectors? This paper attempts to provide new answers to these questions. Building on the core proposition of the New Institutional Economics (NIE) that similar regulations generate different outcomes depending on their fit with the underlying domestic institutions, we develop a simple theoretical model and explore its implications by examining the diffusion of local loop unbundling (LLU) regulations in the telecommunications sector. We find support for the ideas (1) that once institutional factors are taken into account, one should expect some convergence in public utility regulation but with still a significant degree of local experimentation, and (2) this process will lead to very different results regarding the impact of regulation.Regulatory convergence, lobbying, utilities

Asset freezing, corporate political resources and the Tullock paradox

In 1967, Gordon Tullock asked why firms do not spend more on campaign contributions, despite the large rents that could be generated from political activities. We suggest in this paper that part of the puzzle could come from the fact that one important type of political activity has been neglected by the literature which focuses on campaign contributions or political connections. We call this neglected activity "asset freezing”: situations in which firms delay lay-offs or invest in specific technologies to support local politicians' re-election objectives. In doing so, firms bear a potentially significant cost as they do not use a portion of their economic assets in the most efficient or productive way. The purpose of this paper is to provide a first theoretical exploration of this phenomenon. Building on the literature on corporate political resources, we argue that a firm's economic assets can be evaluated based on their degree of "political freezability,” which depends on the flexibility of their use and on their value for policy-makers. We then develop a simple model in which financial contributions and freezing assets are alternative options for a firm willing to lawfully influence public policy-making, and derive some of our initial hypotheses more formall

The Political Economy of Productivity in Argentina: Interpretation and Illustration

This paper examines how the main characteristics of Argentina’s policymaking process (PMP) affect the productivity of its economy using the conceptual framework presented in Murillo, Scartascini and Tommasi (2008), Stein et al. (2008), Spiller and Tommasi (2007), and IDB (2005). First, the paper complements existing descriptions of the PMP by considering private agents and elaborating on structural characteristics possibly conducive to policymaking instability. Second, the paper illustrates the (negative) impact of Argentina’s lowquality and myopic PMP equilibrium on productivity by examining two key areas: provision of infrastructure services and agricultural policy. Finally, the paper explores the PMP at the local level of government (municipalities and local communities), finding that it mimics the flaws observed at the federal level.Political economy, Productivity, Argentina

Confusing fixed and variable costs under Ramsey regulation

Ramsey regulation, in the context of tariff rebalancing, is analyzed when the regulator is not fully informed about the cost structure of the firm. It is shown that even if the estimated relation between variable costs of the two goods produced is correct, errors regarding the composition of a given total cost between fixed and variable elements result in: (i) the price of the good with a higher (lower) elasticity of demand decreases (increases) as the estimated fixed cost is higher; and (ii) whatever mistake is made, i.e., under or over estimating fixed costs, the profits obtained by the regulated firm are lower than intended.Departamento de Economí