Double Marginalization and Vertical Integration

44 Pages Posted: 5 Apr 2021

See all articles by Philippe Choné

Philippe Choné

National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE) - Center for Research in Economics and Statistics (CREST); CESifo (Center for Economic Studies and Ifo Institute)

Laurent Linnemer

National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE) - Center for Research in Economics and Statistics (CREST)

Thibaud Vergé

National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE) - Center for Research in Economics and Statistics (CREST)

Date Written: 2021

Abstract

Asymmetric information in procurement entails double marginalization. The phenomenon is most severe when the buyer has all the bargaining power at the production stage, while it vanishes when the buyer and suppliers’ weights are balanced. Vertical integration eliminates double marginalization and reduces the likelihood that the buyer purchases from independent suppliers. Conditional on market foreclosure, the probability that final consumers are harmed is positive only if the buyer has more bargaining power when selecting suppliers than when negotiating over quantities and intermediate prices. The buyer’s and consumers’ interests are otherwise aligned.

JEL Classification: L100, L400, D400, D800

Suggested Citation

Choné, Philippe and Linnemer, Laurent and Vergé, Thibaud, Double Marginalization and Vertical Integration (2021). CESifo Working Paper No. 8971, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3819092 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3819092

Philippe Choné (Contact Author)

National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE) - Center for Research in Economics and Statistics (CREST) ( email )

15 Boulevard Gabriel Peri
Malakoff Cedex, 1 92245
France

CESifo (Center for Economic Studies and Ifo Institute)

Poschinger Str. 5
Munich, DE-81679
Germany

Laurent Linnemer

National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE) - Center for Research in Economics and Statistics (CREST) ( email )

15 Boulevard Gabriel Peri
Malakoff Cedex, 1 92245
France

Thibaud Vergé

National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE) - Center for Research in Economics and Statistics (CREST) ( email )

15 Boulevard Gabriel Peri
Malakoff Cedex, 1 92245
France

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
107
Abstract Views
369
Rank
456,834
PlumX Metrics