Ecole Polytechnique de Tunisie
Université 7 Novembre à Carthage
SEMINAIRE (MASE)
Modélisation et Analyse Statistique et Economique
How a Luxury Monopolist Might Benefit From the
Aspirational Utility Effect of Counterfeiting?
Insaf Bekir
Université de Sousse, Tunisie
En collaboration avec
Sana El Harbi
Université de Sousse, Tunisie
Gilles Grolleau
Montpellier Supagro and LAMETA, UMR 1135
Résumé: Thanks to an intertemporal analytical model, we incorporate aspirational consumers in
Veblen markets for luxury fashion items. We show how a luxury monopolist can increase its
profits thanks to the presence of counterfeit products. The genuine producer profit is shaped by
two opposite effects: (i) a positive aspirational effect resulting from a sales increase due to the
aspirational consumers who seek to imitate the lifestyle of snob consumers (ii) a negative snob
effect, resulting from a sales decrease due to the reduction of consumption by some snob
consumers. We identify the conditions under which the overall effect generated by counterfeiting
can increase the genuine firm profit. These conditions imply the existence of large aspirational
effects and high additional utility gain associated with buying an original product instead of
obtaining a counterfeit product.
Vendredi 08 Avril à 15 h à l’Ecole Polytechnique de Tunisie.
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Pour toute information, contacter Rim Lahmandi-Ayed, LIM (groupe MES).
E-mail : rim_lahmandi@yahoo.com
Tel : 71774 611, poste 278.