Regularity properties of optimal transportation problems arising in hedonic pricing models

Abstract

We study a form of optimal transportation surplus functions which arise in hedonic pricing models. We derive a formula for the Ma-Trudinger-Wang curvature of these functions, yielding necessary and sufficient conditions for them to satisfy \textbf{(A3w)}. We use this to give explicit new examples of surplus functions satisfying \textbf{(A3w)}, of the form $b(x,y)=H(x+y)$ where $H$ is a convex function on $\mathbb{R}^n$. We also show that the space of equilibrium contracts in the hedonic pricing model has the maximal possible dimension, a result of potential economic interest.