Strategic rationing in Stackelberg games

B-Tier
Journal: Games and Economic Behavior
Year: 2023
Volume: 140
Issue: C
Pages: 529-555

Score contribution per author:

0.670 = (α=2.01 / 3 authors) × 1.0x B-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

This paper examines Stackelberg price-quantity competition with imperfectly substitutable products. Under general cost and demand conditions, we establish existence of a subgame-perfect Nash equilibrium and provide a full characterization of the set of subgame-perfect Nash equilibria. In each equilibrium, the leader rations part of its clientele. Assuming linear demand and cost functions, first- and second-mover advantages are shown to critically depend on the degree of spillover demand, i.e., how many of the unserved customers visit the follower. We identify the presence of a spillover demand paradox. The leader may be the bigger firm and make more profit, but only when a sufficiently large part of its unmet demand shifts to the follower.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:eee:gamebe:v:140:y:2023:i:c:p:529-555
Journal Field
Theory
Author Count
3
Added to Database
2026-01-24