|
Capacity Expansion and Probabilistic Growth
Alan S. Manne
Abstract
This paper is concerned with the optimal degree of excess capacity to be built into a new facility such as a pipeline, a steel plant, or a superhighway. The problem is complicated by: (1) the presence of substantial economies of scale in plant construction; (2) the penalties involved in accumulating backlogs of unsatisfied demand; and (3) the use of a random-walk pattern rather than a deterministic upward trend in demand.
|
