Material Information |
| Title: |
Product Differentation with Bimodal Consumer Preference Distributions |
| Physical Description: |
Book |
| Language: |
English |
| Creator: |
Willis, Regina |
| Publisher: |
New College of Florida |
| Place of Publication: |
Sarasota, Fla. |
| Creation Date: |
2011 |
| Publication Date: |
2011 |
Subjects |
| Subjects / Keywords: |
Product Differentiation
Hotelling
Consumer Preferences
Transportation Costs
Reservation Prices
Bimodal Distribution |
| Genre: |
bibliography ( marcgt )
theses ( marcgt )
government publication (state, provincial, terriorial, dependent) ( marcgt )
born-digital ( sobekcm )
Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
Notes |
| Abstract: |
Common in the product differentiation literature is the assumption of a uniform consumer preference distribution; however this assumption results in outcomes that overstate differentiation effects. This thesis examines several bimodal consumer preference distributions and finds that firms have an incentive to locate where there are high concentrations of consumers along the preference distribution for particular product characteristics. The firms' location and pricing decisions, and the relative strength of the firms in these decisions, is highly dependent upon the degree of concentration or diffusion of consumer preferences for the product characteristic in question. Transportation costs and reservation prices are the main mechanisms through which this process happens. Not surprisingly, this does not conform to the traditional models that entail the principle of minimum or maximum product differentiation. This thesis examines how the structures of a bimodal distribution itself -- the peaks, tails, and trough -- impact the power firms have in a market, and the relative pricing and location decisions that will most likely result in the best profit maximizing choice for firms. |
| Statement of Responsibility: |
by Regina Willis |
| Thesis: |
Thesis (B.A.) -- New College of Florida, 2011 |
| Electronic Access: |
RESTRICTED TO NCF STUDENTS, STAFF, FACULTY, AND ON-CAMPUS USE |
| Bibliography: |
Includes bibliographical references. |
| Source of Description: |
This bibliographic record is available under the Creative Commons CC0 public domain dedication. The New College of Florida, as creator of this bibliographic record, has waived all rights to it worldwide under copyright law, including all related and neighboring rights, to the extent allowed by law. |
| Local: |
Faculty Sponsor: Coe, Richard |
Record Information |
| Source Institution: |
New College of Florida |
| Holding Location: |
New College of Florida |
| Rights Management: |
Applicable rights reserved. |
| Classification: |
local - S.T. 2011 W73 |
| System ID: |
NCFE004518:00001 |
|
Material Information |
| Title: |
Product Differentation with Bimodal Consumer Preference Distributions |
| Physical Description: |
Book |
| Language: |
English |
| Creator: |
Willis, Regina |
| Publisher: |
New College of Florida |
| Place of Publication: |
Sarasota, Fla. |
| Creation Date: |
2011 |
| Publication Date: |
2011 |
Subjects |
| Subjects / Keywords: |
Product Differentiation
Hotelling
Consumer Preferences
Transportation Costs
Reservation Prices
Bimodal Distribution |
| Genre: |
bibliography ( marcgt )
theses ( marcgt )
government publication (state, provincial, terriorial, dependent) ( marcgt )
born-digital ( sobekcm )
Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
Notes |
| Abstract: |
Common in the product differentiation literature is the assumption of a uniform consumer preference distribution; however this assumption results in outcomes that overstate differentiation effects. This thesis examines several bimodal consumer preference distributions and finds that firms have an incentive to locate where there are high concentrations of consumers along the preference distribution for particular product characteristics. The firms' location and pricing decisions, and the relative strength of the firms in these decisions, is highly dependent upon the degree of concentration or diffusion of consumer preferences for the product characteristic in question. Transportation costs and reservation prices are the main mechanisms through which this process happens. Not surprisingly, this does not conform to the traditional models that entail the principle of minimum or maximum product differentiation. This thesis examines how the structures of a bimodal distribution itself -- the peaks, tails, and trough -- impact the power firms have in a market, and the relative pricing and location decisions that will most likely result in the best profit maximizing choice for firms. |
| Statement of Responsibility: |
by Regina Willis |
| Thesis: |
Thesis (B.A.) -- New College of Florida, 2011 |
| Electronic Access: |
RESTRICTED TO NCF STUDENTS, STAFF, FACULTY, AND ON-CAMPUS USE |
| Bibliography: |
Includes bibliographical references. |
| Source of Description: |
This bibliographic record is available under the Creative Commons CC0 public domain dedication. The New College of Florida, as creator of this bibliographic record, has waived all rights to it worldwide under copyright law, including all related and neighboring rights, to the extent allowed by law. |
| Local: |
Faculty Sponsor: Coe, Richard |
Record Information |
| Source Institution: |
New College of Florida |
| Holding Location: |
New College of Florida |
| Rights Management: |
Applicable rights reserved. |
| Classification: |
local - S.T. 2011 W73 |
| System ID: |
NCFE004518:00001 |
|