If there is competition for access to an underpriced good such as a free parking spot, the competition can eat up the entire surplus, eliminating the social value of the good. There is a discontinuity in social welfare between “enough” and “not enough,” with the minimum social welfare...

Competition for access to an underpriced good such as a free parking spot can eat up its entire surplus, eliminating the social value of the good. There is a discontinuity in social welfare between enough and not enough, with the minimum social welfare at slightly too small a parking lot because...

In many industries, firms reward their customers for making referrals. We analyze the optimal policy mix of price, advertising intensity, and a referral fee for monopoly when buyers choose to what extent to refer other consumers to the firm. We find that the firm advertises less under referrals,...