A dynamic oligopoly with collusion and price wars

Citation
C. Fershtman et A. Pakes, A dynamic oligopoly with collusion and price wars, RAND J ECON, 31(2), 2000, pp. 207-236
Citations number
35
Categorie Soggetti
Economics
Journal title
RAND JOURNAL OF ECONOMICS
ISSN journal
07416261 → ACNP
Volume
31
Issue
2
Year of publication
2000
Pages
207 - 236
Database
ISI
SICI code
0741-6261(200022)31:2<207:ADOWCA>2.0.ZU;2-F
Abstract
We provide a collusive framework with heterogeneity among firms investment, entry, and exit. It is a symmetric-information model in which it is hard t o sustain collusion when there is an active firm that is likely to exit in the near future. Numerical analysis is used to compare a collusive to a non collusive environment, Only the collusive industry generates price wars. Al so, the collusive industry offers both more and higher-quality products to consumers, albeit often at a higher price. The positive effect of collusion on variety and quality more than compensates consumers for the negative ef fect of collusive prices, so that consumer surplus is larger with collusion .