ABSTRACT

We investigate whether and how positions in the characteristics space influence technological adoption and how price levels are affected; furthermore we assess the effects of policy interventions. In an industry where a central firm competes with two peripheral/niche ones, two technologies are available: one with low marginal and high fixed costs and one with opposite pattern. The central firm is in direct competition with all the rivals. We show that this firm has higher incentives to adopt the technology efficient at large production scale; consequently if fixed cost decreases, the diffusion of this technology in the industry starts from the center and then spreads over to the niche firms. Changes in fixed and marginal costs affect long-run prices in non-obvious way. On the normative side, subsidies affect the technology pattern and deliver relevant effects: lump-sum subsidies increase consumer surplus, but can reduce profits. A price-cap that forestalls a technological change improves welfare. Our analysis is well-suited to analyze the digitalization process that has taken place in the last years.

摘要

我们调查特征空间中的位置是否以及如何影响技术采用以及价格水平如何受到影响；此外，我们评估了政策干预的效果。在一个中心企业与两个外围/利基企业竞争的行业中，有两种技术可用：一种具有低边际和高固定成本，另一种具有相反的模式。中央企业与所有竞争对手直接竞争。我们表明，这家公司有更高的动机在大规模生产中采用有效的技术；因此，如果固定成本降低，该技术在行业中的扩散从中心开始，然后扩散到利基公司。固定变化边际成本以不明显的方式影响长期价格。在规范方面，补贴影响技术模式并产生相关效果：一次性补贴增加了消费者剩余，但会降低利润。阻止技术变革的价格上限会提高福利。我们的分析非常适合分析过去几年发生的数字化过程。