时间：2019-4-19 周五13:30-15：00
地点：中北校区理科大楼A302
题目：Search Frictions, Network Effects and Spatial Competition: Taxis versus Uber
主讲人：边博 上海财经大学商学院助理教授
主持人：龚冰琳 研究员
摘要：
In this paper, I model the search and matching process among passengers, taxis and Uber drivers in New York City to analyze the matching efficiency taking into account network effects and supply competition. Drivers make dynamic spatial search decisions to supply rides across locations (platforms) and passengers make static discrete choice decisions among taxi and Uber. Network effects occur if increased participation of one side impacts searches of the other side in the same location. I model network effects by adding demand and supply to both sides’ decisions. I use the nonstationary oblivious equilibrium to estimate the dynamic model and analyze frictions as mismatches between drivers and passengers. I find significant network effects. Then, I show that network effects and supply competition, in addition to fixed pricing structure (of taxi), have extensive effects on frictions and welfare in three counterfactual scenarios. The first eliminates the Uber surge multiplier, the second improves traffic conditions and the third decreases Uber drivers by 30 percent. I find that without surge pricing, Uber’s mismatches increase by 3,152 in a day shift. Improving traffic condition reduces matching frictions for both taxis and Uber. It increases searches of drivers and increases taxis’ pickups by 10.6 percent. Taxis’ profit increases by $ 231,100 and Uber’s increases by $5,110. Restricting Uber’s supply increases frictions for both taxis and Uber due to less competition. But it increases taxis’ pickups by 1,660 ($ 34,300) compared to 7,004 ($ 119,320) loss of Uber’s trips. Consumers are worse off after the regulatory policy but better off in the first two scenarios. Most importantly, with or without accounting for network effects generates different simulation results and could lead to opposite conclusions.
主讲人简介：
边博，宾夕法尼亚州立大学经济学博士。上海财经大学商学院助理教授。研究涉及实证产业组织，应用微观经济学，平台竞争和网络效应等多个相关领域。