Verti-zontal differentiation in export markets

Francesco Di Comite, Jacques Thisse and ,
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Francesco Di Comite: Université catholique de Louvain, IRES, Belgium; European Commission, Sevilla

No 2013064, LIDAM Discussion Papers CORE from Université catholique de Louvain, Center for Operations Research and Econometrics (CORE)

Abstract: Many trade models of monopolistic competition identify cost efficiency as the main determinant of firm performance in export markets. To date, the analysis of demand factors has received much less attention. We propose a new model where consumer preferences are asymmetric across varieties and heterogeneous across countries. The model generates new predictions and allows for an identification of horizontal differentiation (taste) clearly distinguished from vertical differentiation (quality). Data patterns observed in Belgian firm-product level exports by destination are congruent with the predictions and seem to warrant a richer modelling of consumer demand.

Keywords: heterogeneous firms; heterogeneous consumers; horizontal differentiation; vertical differentiation; asymmetric preferences; monopolistic competition (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D43 F12 F14 L16 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013-12-11
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-bec, nep-com and nep-int
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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Related works:
Journal Article: Verti-zontal differentiation in export markets (2014)
Working Paper: Verti-zontal differentiation in export markets (2014)
Working Paper: Verti-zontal differentiation in export markets (2014)
Working Paper: Verti-zontal differentiation in export markets (2013)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:cor:louvco:2013064

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