Persuading Consumers With Social Attitudes

This paper analyzes persuasive advertising and pricing in oligopoly if firms sell differentiated products and consumers have heterogenous social attitudes towards the consumption by others. Deriving product demand from primitives, we show that the demand-enhancing effect of persuasive advertising varies across consumers and increases in the average degree of conformity. In equilibrium, both quality and cost leaders choose higher advertising intensities and charge higher prices than their competitors. In addition, we show that an increase in the average degree of conformity among consumers reinforces asymmetries between firms.Advertising, social attitude, consumption externality, quality

Demand-Enhancing Investment in Mixed Duopoly

This paper examines demand-enhancing investment and pricing in mixed duopoly. We analyze a model with differentiated products and reduced-form demand, making no assumptions on the relative efficiency of the public firm. First, we derive sufficient conditions for public investment to crowd out private investment. Second, we characterize the conditions under which individual investments (prices, respectively) in the mixed duopoly are higher (lower) than in the standard duopoly. Third, we show that with linear demand the public firm effectively disciplines the private firm, inducing an improvement in its price-quality ratio relative to the standard duopoly.Mixed oligopoly, price, investment, quality

Selling When Brand Image Matters

This paper studies profit-maximizing seller behavior when brand image affects consumer demand. We consider a seller facing a population of consumers with heterogeneous tastes regarding product quality and brand image. First, we analyze “active branding” by the seller through costly advertising. Our analysis shows that advertising, price and profits are all increasing in the average valuation of brand image in the population. Second, we examine the role of “passive branding” emanating from the population’s consumption of the product. We demonstrate that seller profits increase in the average degree of conformity in the opulation whereas the price remains unaffected.Quality; brand image; advertising; conformity; exclusivity

Making Sense of Non-Binding Retail-Price Recommendations

This paper provides a theoretical rationale for non-binding retail price recommendations (RPRs) in vertical supply relations. Analyzing a bilateral manufacturer-retailer relationship with repeated trade, we show that linear relational contracts can implement the surplusmaximizing outcome. If the manufacturer has private information about production costs or consumer demand, RPRs may serve as a communication device from manufacturer to retailer. We characterize the properties of efficient bilateral relational contracts with RPRs and discuss extensions to settings where consumer demand is affected by RPRs, and where there are multiple retailers or competing supply chains.vertical relationships, relational contracts, asymmetric information, price recommendations

Trade Liberalization and Growth: Plant-Level Evidence from Switzerland

This paper estimates the effect of trade liberalization on growth, using plant-level data from Switzerland. We employ a natural experiment framework to quantify the effect of a bundle of treaties liberalizing trade between Switzerland and the EU enacted in June 2002 ("Bilateral Agreements I") on the growth of Swiss plants. Using both a semi-parametric difference-indifferences and a matching approach, we find that the liberalization of trade increased the growth of affected plants by 1-2 percent during the first six years after liberalization. Our results suggest that trade liberalization has a relevant effect on growth.Trade liberalization, growth, plant size, policy evaluation

Traceable Standards for Electrolytic Conductivity Measurements Required for Pharmaceutical Production

Certified reference materials for low electrolytic conductivity can now be produced successfully that meet the basic criteria of a high quality technical standard for industrial purposes. The materials are very stable and easy to handle. The values for these high quality references have low uncertainties and are traceable to international standards by an unbroken chain of comparison. These certified reference materials can be used to check the compliance with the requirements for pharmaceutical grades of water. Water for injection (WFI) or highly purified water (HPW) can now be checked reliably against the limiting values set by the European and United States Pharmacopeia using instruments that are calibrated with low level electrolytic standards. The comparability of the results has been demonstrated on occasion of an intercomparison between expert reference laboratories

N-(4-Chloro­pyridin-2-yl)-N-(4-methyl­phenyl­sulfon­yl)acetamide

The crystal structure of the title compound, C14H13ClN2O3S, features a three-dimensional network stabilized by inter­molecular C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds between the mol­ecules. The 4-methyl­phenyl­sulfonyl ring forms a dihedral angle of 30.6 (1)° with the 4-chloro­pyridine ring

Power transformers as excess heat sources –a case study for Denmark

Acknowledgments The work presented in this paper is a result of the research activities of the HEAT 4.0 project, which has received funding from Innovation Fund Denmark (Project number 8090-00046). The authors would like to acknowledge the contribution of Kim Boe Jensen from Energinet for supplying locations of power transformers and data about representative, averagely loaded transformer. The usual disclaimer applies.Peer reviewedPostprin

N-(4-Chloro­pyridin-2-yl)-N-meth­oxy­methyl-4-methyl­benzene­sulfonamide

In the crystal structure of the title compound, C14H15ClN2O3S, each mol­ecule is connected via inter­molecular C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds to three further mol­ecules, generating a three-dimensional network. The 4-methyl­phenyl­sulfonyl ring forms a dihedral angle of 40.7 (2)° with the 4-chloro­pyridine ring