We study how the quality dimension affects the social optimum in a model of spatial differentiation where two facilities provide a public service. If quality enters linearly in the individuals' utility function, a symmetric configuration, in which both facilities have the same quality and serve groups of individuals of the same size, does not maximize the social welfare. This is a surprising result as all individuals are symmetrically identical having the same quality valuation. We also show that a symmetric configuration of facilities may maximize the social welfare if the individuals' marginal utility of quality is decreasing.

翻译：我们研究在两种设施提供公共服务的空间差别模式中,质量层面如何影响社会的最佳性;如果质量以线性方式进入个人公用事业功能,那么两种设施质量相同并为相同规模的个人群体服务的对称配置不会使社会福利最大化;这是令人惊讶的结果,因为所有个人都对称相同,质量价值相同;我们还表明,如果个人质量的边际用途减少,对称设施配置可能最大限度地增加社会福利。