I simulate firms competing in an urban landscape that is segregated by income level. Some firms are located close to wealthy neighborhoods and far from competitors, but other firms do not enjoy these advantages. The probability that a household selects a certain firm to patronize depends on that firm’s price and its distance from the household. The firms have almost no information about the urban market they inhabit, but they can experiment with prices and learn what actions lead to higher profits. Firms that experience persistent losses go out of business. When transportation costs are low, households shop aggressively and the result that emerges resembles perfect competition. When transportation costs are high, households shop less aggressively, which gives firms greater market power. The results here more closely resemble monopolistic competition, with more firms surviving, higher prices and higher profits. However, this collusion is implicit, as there is no mechanism for the firms to communicate or explicitly collude with each other. I validate the model by conducting a Probit analysis of the factors that determine firm survival. I also conduct an econometric analysis of the factors that determine a firm’s price, quantity sold, and profit. Firms locating close to rival have a higher probability of going out of business. If these firms do survive, on average their profits are no different than the profits of firms that are not located close to a rival.

我模拟了在按收入水平划分的城市景观中竞争的公司。一些公司靠近富裕社区，远离竞争对手，但其他公司没有这些优势。一个家庭选择某家公司光顾的概率取决于该公司的价格及其与家庭的距离。这些公司几乎没有关于他们所在城市市场的信息，但他们可以试验价格并了解哪些行为会带来更高的利润。遭受持续亏损的公司将倒闭。当运输成本较低时，家庭会积极购物，结果类似于完全竞争。当运输成本高时，家庭购物的积极性就会降低，这会赋予企业更大的市场力量。这里的结果更类似于垄断竞争，存活下来的公司更多，价格更高，利润更高。然而，这种勾结是隐含的，因为公司之间没有相互沟通或明确勾结的机制。我通过对决定公司生存的因素进行 Probit 分析来验证模型。我还对决定公司价格、销售量和利润的因素进行了计量经济学分析。靠近竞争对手的公司倒闭的可能性更高。如果这些公司确实存活下来，平均而言，它们的利润与不靠近竞争对手的公司的利润没有什么不同。因为公司之间没有相互沟通或明确勾结的机制。我通过对决定公司生存的因素进行 Probit 分析来验证模型。我还对决定公司价格、销售量和利润的因素进行了计量经济学分析。靠近竞争对手的公司倒闭的可能性更高。如果这些公司确实存活下来，平均而言，它们的利润与不靠近竞争对手的公司的利润没有什么不同。因为公司之间没有相互沟通或明确勾结的机制。我通过对决定公司生存的因素进行 Probit 分析来验证模型。我还对决定公司价格、销售量和利润的因素进行了计量经济学分析。靠近竞争对手的公司倒闭的可能性更高。如果这些公司确实存活下来，平均而言，它们的利润与不靠近竞争对手的公司的利润没有什么不同。