Ranking Supply Function and Cournot Equilibria in a Differentiated Product Duopoly with Demand Uncertainty

In this paper, we provide a welfare ranking for the equilibria of the supply function and quantity competitions in a differentiated product duopoly with demand uncertainty. We prove that the expected consumer surplus is always higher under the supply function competition. By numerical simulations, we also show that if the degree of product substitution is extremely low, then the supply function competition can become a superior form of competition for the duopolistic producers, as well. However, if the degree of product substitution is not extremely low, then the expected producer profits under the supply function competition can be lower than under the quantity competition in situations where the size of the demand uncertainty is below a critical level. We find that this critical level is non-decreasing in the degree of product substitution, while non-increasing both in the marginal cost of producing a unit output and in the own-price sensitivity of each inverse demand curve. Our results imply that in electricity markets with differentiated products, the regulators should not intervene to impose the quantity competition in favor of the supply function competition unless the degree of product substitution is sufficiently high and the predicted demand fluctuations are sufficiently small

Ranking Supply Function and Cournot Equilibria in a Differentiated Product Duopoly with Demand Uncertainty

In this paper, we provide a welfare ranking for the equilibria of the supply function and quantity competitions in a differentiated product duopoly with demand uncertainty. We prove that the expected consumer surplus is always higher under the supply function competition. By numerical simulations, we also show that if the degree of product substitution is extremely low, then the supply function competition can become a superior form of competition for the duopolistic producers, as well. However, if the degree of product substitution is not extremely low, then the expected producer profits under the supply function competition can be lower than under the quantity competition in situations where the size of the demand uncertainty is below a critical level. We find that this critical level is non-decreasing in the degree of product substitution, while non-increasing both in the marginal cost of producing a unit output and in the own-price sensitivity of each inverse demand curve. Our results imply that in electricity markets with differentiated products, the regulators should not intervene to impose the quantity competition in favor of the supply function competition unless the degree of product substitution is sufficiently high and the predicted demand fluctuations are sufficiently small

The Effects of Process R&D in an Asymmetric Duopoly under Cournot and Supply Function Competitions

In this paper we attempt to explore the welfare effects of (process) R&D in an asymmetric duopoly with a homogeneous product under Cournot and supply function competitions. To this aim, we consider a two-stage perfect-information game where the duopolists compete in stage one in R&D investments and in stage two either in quantities or in supply functions. Calculating the (subgame-perfect Nash) equilibrium of this game numerically for a wide range of initial cost parameters and comparing it to the equilibrium with no R&D, we show that R&D has a positive effect on the welfares of consumers and the society as a whole. While its effect on the profits of the duopolists is also positive under the Cournot competition, it becomes negative under the supply function competition. This latter negative effect is caused by the duopolists' more aggressively investing in R&D under the supply function competition, increasing the industry output, and consequently decreasing the product price, to a harmful level for themselves. Moreover, we show that R&D always widens up the efficiency gap between the duopolists under the supply function competition, while narrowing it down under the Cournot competition

Pollution-Reducing and Resource-Saving Technological Progress

In this paper we survey the theoretical literature on both pollution-reducing and resource-saving technological progress. The literature can be divided into two strands. One strand deals with microeconomic models which investigate incentives to adopt and to develop environmentally more friendly technologies for different policy tools and in different economic environments, such as market structure or timing and commitment structures. It turns out that, firstly, price based instruments such as emission taxes and tradable permits perform better than command and control policies, and secondly, that under competitive conditions ex ante end ex post optimal policies are equivalent. Under imperfect market conditions the policy conclusions are more subtile. The second strand of literature deals with both pollution-reducing and resource-saving technological progress within endogenous growth models. Most of these models are characterized by three market imperfections : market power for new (intermediate) products, positive R&D spillovers, and pollution. These imperfections can be mitigated by subsidies on intermediate products, subsidies on R&D effort, and a tax on emissions. Moreover, in most models there occurs a trade-off between the speed of growth and environmental quality. --pollution-reducing technological progress,resource-saving technological progress,environmental innovation,endogenous growth models

Downstream Mode of Competition With Upstream Market Power

In contrast with previous studies we assume no ex-ante commitment over the �price or quantity� type of contract which downstream firms will independently offer consumers in a two-tier oligopoly. Under competing vertical chains, we propose that the downstream mode of competition which in equilibrium emerges is the outcome of independent implicit agreements, between each downstream firm and its exclusive input supplier, in each vertical chain. Our findings suggest that input suppliers may thus act as commitment devices sufficient to endogenously sustain the quantity (Cournot) mode of competition.Oligopoly; Vertical relations; Wholesale prices; Equilibrium mode of competition

Mixed duopoly, privatization and the shadow costs of public funds

The purpose of this article is to investigate how the introduction of the shadow cost of public funds in the utilitarian measure of the economywide welfare affects the behavior of a welfare maximizer public firm in a mixed duopoly. We prove that when firms play simultaneously, the mixed-Nash equilibrium can dominate any Cournot equilibria implemented after a privatization, with or without efficiency gains. This can be true both in terms of welfare and of public firm's profit. When we consider endogenous timing, we show that either mixed- Nash, private leadership or both Stackelberg equilibria can result as subgameperfect Nash equilibria (SPNE). As a consequence, the sustainability of sequential equilibria enlarges the subspace of parameters such that the market performance with an inefficient public firm is better than the one implemented after a full-efficient privatization. Absent efficiency gains, privatization always lowers welfare

Can Rivalry in R&D Be Harmful to Duopolists under Supply Function Competition?

We consider a duopoly with cost asymmetry and demand uncertainty and show that rivalry in (process) R&D can be ex-ante harmful to both firms if they produce under supply function competition. However, if the firms produce under Cournot competition, only the efficient firm ex-ante suffers from R&D rivalry. Moreover, this rivalry always narrows down the efficiency gap between the duopolists, and more visibly so under Cournot competition. On the other hand, we find that consumers always ex-ante benefit from R&D rivalry, both under Cournot and supply function competitions

Mixed duopoly, privatization and the shadow cost of public funds

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of privatization in a mixed duopoly, where a private firm competes in quantities with a welfare-maximizing public firm. We consider two inefficiencies of the public sector: a possible cost inefficiency, and an allocative inefficiency due to the distortionary effect of taxation (shadow cost of public funds). Furthermore, we analyze the effect of privatization on the timing of competition by endogenizing the determination of simultaneous (Nash-Cournot) versus sequential (Stackelberg) games using the model developed by Hamilton and Slutsky (1990). The latter is especially relevant for the analysis of privatization, given that results and policy prescription emerged in the literature crucially rely on the type of competition assumed. We show that privatization has generally the effect of shifting from Stackelberg to Cournot equilibrium and that, absent efficiency gains privatization never increases welfare. Moreover, even when large efficiency gains are realized, an inefficient public firm may be preferred.mixed oligopoly, privatization, endogenous timing, distortionary taxes.