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Frontiers of Economics in China

ISSN 1673-3444

ISSN 1673-3568(Online)

CN 11-5744/F

邮发代号 80-978

Frontiers of Economics in China  2019, Vol. 14 Issue (4): 497-535   https://doi.org/10.3868/s060-008-019-0021-1
  本期目录
Multi-Dimensional Product Differentiation
Qihong Liu1(), Jie Shuai2()
1. Department of Economics, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
2. Wenlan School of Business, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Wuhan 430073, China
 全文: PDF(602 KB)  
Abstract

We analyze product differentiation in a multi-dimensional model with non-uniform consumer distribution. The level of product differentiation is measured by both unit transport costs and firms’ locations. Our analysis concerns both measures. First, fixing firms’ locations, we show that equilibrium prices can increase or decrease with unit transport costs. The overall result depends on the interplay of a shifting effect and a rotating effect—the latter exists only in multi-dimensional models. Second, fixing unit transport costs, we find that under non-uniform distribution, there may exist no equilibrium where firms maximize differentiation on one dimension but minimize differentiation on other dimensions. Instead, there may exist an equilibrium where firms choose intermediate locations, contrary to common findings in existing studies which assume uniform distribution.

Key wordsmulti-dimensional model    product differentiation    unit transport costs    location choice    consumer distribution
出版日期: 2020-01-17
 引用本文:   
. [J]. Frontiers of Economics in China, 2019, 14(4): 497-535.
Qihong Liu, Jie Shuai. Multi-Dimensional Product Differentiation. Front. Econ. China, 2019, 14(4): 497-535.
 链接本文:  
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fec/CN/10.3868/s060-008-019-0021-1
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fec/CN/Y2019/V14/I4/497
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