Maximizing Tax Revenue for Profit-Maximizing Monopolist with the CES Production Function and Linear Demand as a Stackelberg Game Problem

The optimization of taxation and profit maximization constitute two fundamental and interconnected problems, inherently entwined as firms navigate within a given tax framework. Nonetheless, existing literature commonly treats these problems separately, focusing either on optimal taxation or on profi...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Zrinka Lukač, Krunoslav Puljić, Vedran Kojić
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-02-01
Series:Mathematics
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7390/13/5/825
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850051817711337472
author Zrinka Lukač
Krunoslav Puljić
Vedran Kojić
author_facet Zrinka Lukač
Krunoslav Puljić
Vedran Kojić
author_sort Zrinka Lukač
collection DOAJ
description The optimization of taxation and profit maximization constitute two fundamental and interconnected problems, inherently entwined as firms navigate within a given tax framework. Nonetheless, existing literature commonly treats these problems separately, focusing either on optimal taxation or on profit maximization independently. This paper endeavors to unify these problems by formulating a bilevel model wherein the government assumes the role of a leader, and the profit-maximizing monopolist acts as a follower. The model assumes technology given by a constant elasticity of substitution (CES) production function, with market prices following a linear demand curve. Since the solution for a general case with an arbitrary degree of homogeneity cannot be determined explicitly, analytical expressions for the tax revenue function, profit function, optimal tax rates, and optimal input levels are derived for scenarios with degrees of homogeneity set to values 0.5 for decreasing and 1 for constant returns to scale. Several illustrative numerical examples are presented alongside corresponding graphical representations. The last example, with a degree of homogeneity set to value 2, shows that the optimal solution is achievable under monopolist assumption even with increasing returns to scale, a scenario impossible under perfect competition. The paper ends with discussions on sensitivity analysis of the change in the optimal solution with regard to the change in the producer’s price.
format Article
id doaj-art-8a5f931f382e41ac8b6313101152c1b2
institution DOAJ
issn 2227-7390
language English
publishDate 2025-02-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Mathematics
spelling doaj-art-8a5f931f382e41ac8b6313101152c1b22025-08-20T02:53:02ZengMDPI AGMathematics2227-73902025-02-0113582510.3390/math13050825Maximizing Tax Revenue for Profit-Maximizing Monopolist with the CES Production Function and Linear Demand as a Stackelberg Game ProblemZrinka Lukač0Krunoslav Puljić1Vedran Kojić2Faculty of Economics & Business, University of Zagreb, Trg J. F. Kennedyja 6, 10 000 Zagreb, CroatiaFaculty of Economics & Business, University of Zagreb, Trg J. F. Kennedyja 6, 10 000 Zagreb, CroatiaFaculty of Economics & Business, University of Zagreb, Trg J. F. Kennedyja 6, 10 000 Zagreb, CroatiaThe optimization of taxation and profit maximization constitute two fundamental and interconnected problems, inherently entwined as firms navigate within a given tax framework. Nonetheless, existing literature commonly treats these problems separately, focusing either on optimal taxation or on profit maximization independently. This paper endeavors to unify these problems by formulating a bilevel model wherein the government assumes the role of a leader, and the profit-maximizing monopolist acts as a follower. The model assumes technology given by a constant elasticity of substitution (CES) production function, with market prices following a linear demand curve. Since the solution for a general case with an arbitrary degree of homogeneity cannot be determined explicitly, analytical expressions for the tax revenue function, profit function, optimal tax rates, and optimal input levels are derived for scenarios with degrees of homogeneity set to values 0.5 for decreasing and 1 for constant returns to scale. Several illustrative numerical examples are presented alongside corresponding graphical representations. The last example, with a degree of homogeneity set to value 2, shows that the optimal solution is achievable under monopolist assumption even with increasing returns to scale, a scenario impossible under perfect competition. The paper ends with discussions on sensitivity analysis of the change in the optimal solution with regard to the change in the producer’s price.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7390/13/5/825optimal taxationCES production functionlinear demandbilevel programming
spellingShingle Zrinka Lukač
Krunoslav Puljić
Vedran Kojić
Maximizing Tax Revenue for Profit-Maximizing Monopolist with the CES Production Function and Linear Demand as a Stackelberg Game Problem
Mathematics
optimal taxation
CES production function
linear demand
bilevel programming
title Maximizing Tax Revenue for Profit-Maximizing Monopolist with the CES Production Function and Linear Demand as a Stackelberg Game Problem
title_full Maximizing Tax Revenue for Profit-Maximizing Monopolist with the CES Production Function and Linear Demand as a Stackelberg Game Problem
title_fullStr Maximizing Tax Revenue for Profit-Maximizing Monopolist with the CES Production Function and Linear Demand as a Stackelberg Game Problem
title_full_unstemmed Maximizing Tax Revenue for Profit-Maximizing Monopolist with the CES Production Function and Linear Demand as a Stackelberg Game Problem
title_short Maximizing Tax Revenue for Profit-Maximizing Monopolist with the CES Production Function and Linear Demand as a Stackelberg Game Problem
title_sort maximizing tax revenue for profit maximizing monopolist with the ces production function and linear demand as a stackelberg game problem
topic optimal taxation
CES production function
linear demand
bilevel programming
url https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7390/13/5/825
work_keys_str_mv AT zrinkalukac maximizingtaxrevenueforprofitmaximizingmonopolistwiththecesproductionfunctionandlineardemandasastackelberggameproblem
AT krunoslavpuljic maximizingtaxrevenueforprofitmaximizingmonopolistwiththecesproductionfunctionandlineardemandasastackelberggameproblem
AT vedrankojic maximizingtaxrevenueforprofitmaximizingmonopolistwiththecesproductionfunctionandlineardemandasastackelberggameproblem