This paper discusses the incentive to bundle when consumer valuations are non-additive and/or when products are supplied by separate sellers. Whether integrated or separate, a firm has an incentive ...to introduce a bundle discount when demand for the bundle is more elastic than the overall demand for products. When separate sellers coordinate on a bundle discount, they can use the discount to relax competition, which can harm welfare.
This paper studies competition between firms when consumers observe a private signal of their preferences over products. Within the class of signal structures that induce pure-strategy pricing ...equilibria, we derive signal structures that are optimal for firms and those that are optimal for consumers. The firm-optimal policy amplifies underlying product differentiation, thereby relaxing competition, while ensuring consumers purchase their preferred product, thereby maximizing total welfare. The consumer-optimal policy dampens differentiation, which intensifies competition, but induces some consumers to buy their less preferred product. Our analysis sheds light on the limits to competition when the information possessed by consumers can be designed flexibly. (JEL D11, D21, D43, D82, D83, L13)
Nonlinear Pricing Armstrong, Mark
Annual review of economics,
01/2016, Letnik:
8, Številka:
1
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
I examine the use of nonlinear pricing as a method of price discrimination, both with monopoly and oligopoly supply. Topics covered include an analysis of when it is profitable to offer quantity ...discounts and bundle discounts, connections between second- and third-degree price discrimination, the use of market demand functions to calculate nonlinear tariffs, the impact of consumers with bounded rationality, bundling arrangements between separate sellers, and the choice of prices for quality upgrades and add-on products.
The performance of the lithium-ion cell is heavily dependent on the ability of the host electrodes to accommodate and release Li＋ ions from the local structure. While the choice of electrode ...materials may define parameters such as cell potential and capacity, the process of intercalation may be physically limited by the rate of solid-state Li＋ diffusion. Increased diffusion rates in lithium-ion electrodes may be achieved through a reduction in the diffusion path, accomplished by a scaling of the respective electrode dimensions. In addition, some electrodes may undergo large volume changes associated with charging and discharging, the strain of which, may be better accommodated through nanostructuring. Failure of the host to accommodate such volume changes may lead to pulverisation of the local structure and a rapid loss of capacity. In this review article, we seek to highlight a number of significant gains in the development of nanostructured lithium-ion battery architectures （both anode and cathode）, as drivers of potential next-generation electrochemical energy storage devices.
Pursuing the Total Force Armstrong, Mark
SECURITY CHALLENGES,
12/2020, Letnik:
16, Številka:
2
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Recent events including the re-election of the Morrison government in July 2019 and speeches from the new Minister of Defence, Senator Linda Reynolds, and the Chief of the Defence Force, General ...Angus Campbell, have added to the discussion on a new Australian Defence White Paper (DWP). Proponents argue that a new DWP is required for reasons including a changing strategic situation, emerging interstate conflict short of war (called grey zone operations), great power tensions and the diminishing power of the United States. Furthermore, new technology including Artificial Intelligence, autonomous systems, hypersonic missiles and cyber weapons may change the character of the next war from those fought in the past. These factors support a rethink on Defence policy and the force structure and capability development priorities that flow from it. The paper will discuss strategic guidance provided for the ADF Reserves in the seven DWPs since 1976, with emphasis on the most recent, DWP 2016. It will conclude by making some observations about how the Reserves might be better represented in the next DWP.
Intercalation-type electrodes have now been commonly employed in today’s batteries as such materials are capable of storing and releasing lithium reversibly via topotactic transformation, conducive ...to small structural change, but they have limited interstitial sites to hold Li. In contrast, conversion electrodes feature high Li-storage capacity, but often undergo large structural change during (de)lithiation, resulting in cycling instability. One exception is iron fluoride (FeF2), a conversion-type cathode that exhibits both high capacity and high cycling stability. Herein, we report a lithiation-driven topotactic transformation in a single crystal of FeF2, unveiled by in situ visualization of the spatial and crystallographic correlation between the parent and converted phases. Specifically, conversion in FeF2 resembles the intercalation process but involves transport of both Li+ and Fe2+ ions within the F-anion array, leading to formation of Fe preferentially along specific crystallographic orientations of FeF2. Throughout the process, the F-anion framework is retained, creating a checkerboard-like structure, within which the volume change is largely compensated, thereby enabling the high cyclability in FeF2. Findings from this study, with unique insights into conversion reaction mechanisms, may help to pave the way for designing conversion-type electrodes for the next-generation high energy lithium batteries.
We report (electro-)chemically stable, high temperature resistant and fast wetting Li-ion battery separators produced through a phase inversion process using novel polyetherimides (PEI) based on ...bisphenol-aceton diphthalic anhydride (BPADA) and para-phenylenediamine (pPD). In contrast to previous studies using PEI based on BPADA and meta-phenylenediamine (mPD), the separators reported herein show limited swelling in electrolytes and do not require fillers to render sufficient mechanical strength and ionic conductivity. In this work, the produced 15–25 μm thick PEI-pPD separators show excellent electrolyte compatibility, proven by low degrees of swelling in electrolyte solvents, low contact angles, fast electrolyte wicking and high electrolyte uptake. The separators cover a tunable range of morphologies and properties, leading to a wide range of ionic conductivities as studied by Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS). Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) demonstrated dimensional stability up to 220 °C. Finally, single layer graphite/lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC) pouch cells were assembled using this novel PEI-pPD separator, showing an excellent capacity retention of 89.3% after 1000 1C/2C cycles, with a mean Coulombic efficiency of 99.77% and limited resistance build-up. We conclude that PEI-pPD is a promising new material candidate for high performance separators.
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•Li-ion battery separators based on electrolyte-compatible polyetherimides.•Non-solvent induced phase inversion process to produce 15–25 μm thick separators.•Such separators showing high dimensional stability (>200 °C) and fast wetting.•Separator resistance can be tuned over broad range by process conditions.•Graphite/NMC pouch cells show >89% capacity retention after 1000 1C/2C cycles.
Prominence and consumer search Armstrong, Mark; Vickers, John; Zhou, Jidong
The Rand journal of economics,
07/2009, Letnik:
40, Številka:
2
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
This article examines the implications of "prominence" in search markets. We model prominence by supposing that the prominent firm will be sampled first by all consumers. If there are no systematic ...quality differences among firms, we find that the prominent firm will charge a lower price than its less prominent rivals. Making a firm prominent will typically lead to higher industry profit but lower consumer surplus and welfare. The model is extended by introducing heterogeneous product qualities, in which case the firm with the highest-quality product has the greatest incentive to become prominent, and making it prominent will boost industry profit, consumer surplus, and welfare.
Competition in two-sided markets Armstrong, Mark
The Rand journal of economics,
10/2006, Letnik:
37, Številka:
3
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Many markets involve two groups of agents who interact via "platforms," where one group's benefit from joining a platform depends on the size of the other group that joins the platform. I present ...three models of such markets: a monopoly platform; a model of competing platforms where agents join a single platform; and a model of "competitive bottlenecks" where one group joins all platforms. The determinants of equilibrium prices are (i) the magnitude of the cross-group externalities, (ii) whether fees are levied on a lump-sum or per-transaction basis, and (iii) whether agents join one platform or several platforms.
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