Heterogeneous Consumers, Vertical Product Differentiation and the Rate of Innovation
Abstract: This paper studies the impact of income inequality on the level of innovative activities in a model where innovations result in quality improvements. The market for quality goods is characterized by a natural oligopoly with three types of consumers - rich, middle class and poor. In general...Link(s) zu Dokument(en): | IHS Publikation |
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Hauptverfasser: | , |
Format: | IHS Series NonPeerReviewed |
Sprache: | Englisch |
Veröffentlicht: |
Institut für Höhere Studien
1996
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Zusammenfassung: | Abstract: This paper studies the impact of income inequality on the level of innovative activities in a model where innovations result in quality improvements. The market for quality goods is characterized by a natural oligopoly with three types of consumers - rich, middle class and poor. In general, we find that for reasons of strategic price setting a more equal distribution of income is favourable for innovation incentives. This is consistent with empirical evidence suggesting that countrieswith a more equal distribution of income have grown faster.; |
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