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Bigger and Better: A Dynamic Regulatory Mechanism for Optimum Quality

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  • De Fraja, Gianni
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Abstract
Vogelsang and Finsinger?s seminal paper (Bell Journal of Economics, 1979) proposes a mechanism for price regulation with some desirable properties, such as convergence to a second best optimum. This mechanism applies to situations where quality is fixed: in practice, quality can be varied by the firm, and regulators have typically imposed constraints on the firm?s quality choice. This Paper lays a rigorous theoretical foundation to the inclusion of quality measures in the constraints faced by a regulated firm. We identify a potential pitfall in the approach taken in practice by regulators, and show that, in order to avoid it, the regulated firm should be subject to an additional constraint, which, loosely speaking, requires firms? choices not to be too erratic.

Suggested Citation

  • De Fraja, Gianni & ,, 2004. "Bigger and Better: A Dynamic Regulatory Mechanism for Optimum Quality," CEPR Discussion Papers 4502, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:4502
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    1. Sappington, David E M & Sibley, David S, 1988. "Regulating without Cost Information: The Incremental Surplus Subsidy Scheme," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 29(2), pages 297-306, May.
    2. George J. Stigler, 1971. "The Theory of Economic Regulation," Bell Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 2(1), pages 3-21, Spring.
    3. Vogelsang, Ingo, 1988. "A Little Paradox in the Design of Regulatory Mechanisms," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 29(3), pages 467-476, August.
    4. Sappington David E. M., 2003. "The Effects of Incentive Regulation on Retail Telephone Service Quality in the United States," Review of Network Economics, De Gruyter, vol. 2(4), pages 1-21, December.
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    7. Kurt R. Brekke & Robert Nuscheler & Odd Rune Straume, 2006. "Quality and Location Choices under Price Regulation," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 15(1), pages 207-227, March.
    8. Brennan, Timothy J, 1989. "Regulating by Capping Prices," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 1(2), pages 133-147, June.
    9. Alberto Iozzi & Jonathan A. Poritz & Edilio Valentini, 2002. "Social Preferences and Price Cap Regulation," Journal of Public Economic Theory, Association for Public Economic Theory, vol. 4(1), pages 95-114, January.
    10. Bradley, Ian & Price, Catherine, 1988. "The Economic Regulation of Private Industries by Price Constraints," Journal of Industrial Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(1), pages 99-106, September.
    11. Laffont, Jean-Jacques & Tirole, Jean, 1996. "Creating Competition through Interconnection: Theory and Practice," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 10(3), pages 227-256, November.
    12. David Sappington, 2005. "Regulating Service Quality: A Survey," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 27(2), pages 123-154, November.
    13. Laura Rovizzi & David Thompson, 1992. "The regulation of product quality in the public utilities and the Citizen's Charter," Fiscal Studies, Institute for Fiscal Studies, vol. 13(3), pages 74-95, August.
    14. Alberto Iozzi, 2002. "La riforma della regolamentazione del settore autostradale," ECONOMIA PUBBLICA, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2002(4).
    15. Ingo Vogelsang & Jorg Finsinger, 1979. "A Regulatory Adjustment Process for Optimal Pricing by Multiproduct Monopoly Firms," Bell Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 10(1), pages 157-171, Spring.
    16. David Sappington, 1980. "Strategic Firm Behavior under a Dynamic Regulatory Adjustment Process," Bell Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 11(1), pages 360-372, Spring.
    17. A. Michael Spence, 1975. "Monopoly, Quality, and Regulation," Bell Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 6(2), pages 417-429, Autumn.
    18. Gianni De Fraja & Alberto Iozzi, "undated". "Short Term and Long Term Effects of Price Cap Regulation," Discussion Papers 00/61, Department of Economics, University of York.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    Cited by:

    1. Kevin M. Currier, 2007. "Quality‐Corrected Price Caps," Bulletin of Economic Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 59(3), pages 255-268, July.
    2. Angela S. Bergantino & Etienne Billette de Villemeur & Annalisa Vinella, 2006. "A Model of Partial Regulation in the Maritime Ferry Industry," SERIES 0010, Dipartimento di Economia e Finanza - Università degli Studi di Bari "Aldo Moro", revised Jan 2006.
    3. Gui, Benedetto & de Villemeur, Étienne, 2007. "Regulation of a Monopoly Generating Externalities," IDEI Working Papers 469, Institut d'Économie Industrielle (IDEI), Toulouse, revised Jan 2011.
    4. Cesi Berardino & Iozzi Alberto & Valentini Edilio, 2012. "Regulating Unverifiable Quality by Fixed-Price Contracts," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 12(1), pages 1-39, September.
    5. Stéphane Auray & Thomas Mariotti & Fabien Moizeau, 2006. "Dynamic Regulation of Public Good Quality," Cahiers de recherche 0610, CIRPEE.
    6. Luigi Benfratello & Alberto Iozzi & Paola Valbonesi, 2009. "Technology and incentive regulation in the Italian motorways industry," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 35(2), pages 201-221, April.
    7. Resende, Marcelo & Cardoso, Vicente, 2019. "Mapping service quality in electricity distribution: An exploratory study of Brazil," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 41-52.
    8. Carlo Cambini & Elena Fumagalli & Laura Rondi, 2016. "Incentives to quality and investment: evidence from electricity distribution in Italy," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 49(1), pages 1-32, February.
    9. Alexandre MARINHO & Marcelo RESENDE, 2019. "Service Quality In Electricity Distribution In Brazil: A Malmquist Approach," Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 90(4), pages 687-712, December.
    10. David Sappington & Dennis Weisman, 2010. "Price cap regulation: what have we learned from 25 years of experience in the telecommunications industry?," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 38(3), pages 227-257, December.
    11. Stéphane Auray & Thomas Mariotti & Fabien Moizeau, 2011. "Dynamic regulation of quality," RAND Journal of Economics, RAND Corporation, vol. 42(2), pages 246-265, June.
    12. Gianni De Fraja & Emanuela Michetti & Piercarlo Zanchettin, 2011. "Toc 'n' Roll: Bargaining, Service Quality and Specificity in the UK Railway Network," Journal of Transport Economics and Policy, University of Bath, vol. 45(3), pages 383-414, September.
    13. Kevin Currier, 2006. "Quality-Adjusted Laspeyres Price Caps: A Graphical Analysis," Atlantic Economic Journal, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 34(4), pages 481-490, December.
    14. Saha, Souresh, 2014. "Firm's objective function and product and process R&D," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 484-494.
    15. Armstrong, Mark & Sappington, David E.M., 2007. "Recent Developments in the Theory of Regulation," Handbook of Industrial Organization, in: Mark Armstrong & Robert Porter (ed.), Handbook of Industrial Organization, edition 1, volume 3, chapter 27, pages 1557-1700, Elsevier.
    16. David Sappington, 2005. "Regulating Service Quality: A Survey," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 27(2), pages 123-154, November.

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    Keywords

    Regulation; Quality; Price cap; Rpi-x;
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