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Learning via sequential market entry: Evidence from international releases of U.S. movies

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  • Holloway, Isaac R.

Abstract

Most U.S. movies are not distributed simultaneously to all of their foreign markets and many do not recoup the costs of market entry. In theory, sequential entry allows distributors to learn about their movies' quality from performance in successive markets. I find empirical evidence consistent with recent trade models of learning about export profitability: a one-standard-deviation increase in the update to expected box-office revenues from the previous round is associated with an increase in the probability of entry to a given market of approximately 20%. This effect is robust to controls for other potential determinants of entry, including extended gravity, seasonality of demand, academy award nominations, and competition from local and imported pictures.

Suggested Citation

  • Holloway, Isaac R., 2017. "Learning via sequential market entry: Evidence from international releases of U.S. movies," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 104-121.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:inecon:v:104:y:2017:i:c:p:104-121
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jinteco.2016.10.008
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Tin Cheuk Leung & Shi Qi, 2023. "Globalization and the rise of action movies in hollywood," Journal of Cultural Economics, Springer;The Association for Cultural Economics International, vol. 47(1), pages 31-69, March.
    2. Albornoz, Facundo & Calvo Pardo, Héctor F. & Corcos, Gregory & Ornelas, Emanuel, 2023. "Sequentially exporting products across countries," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 142(C).
    3. Juyoung Cheong & Do Won Kwak & Kam Ki Tang, 2020. "Trade Elasticity: Estimates From Product-Level Data," Discussion Papers Series 616, School of Economics, University of Queensland, Australia.
    4. Facundo Albornoz & Héctor F. Calvo Pardo & Gregory Corcos & Emanuel Ornelas, 2021. "Sequential Exporting across Countries and Products," CESifo Working Paper Series 9119, CESifo.
    5. Ronald Klingebiel & John Joseph & Valerie Machoba, 2022. "Sequencing innovation rollout: Learning opportunity versus entry speed," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(9), pages 1763-1792, September.
    6. Mao, Qilin & Sheng, Bin, 2017. "The impact of tariff reductions on firm dynamics and productivity in China: Does market-oriented transition matter?," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 168-194.
    7. Christophe Bellégo & Romain De Nijs, 2020. "The Unintended Consequences of Antipiracy Laws on Markets with Asymmetric Piracy: The Case of the French Movie Industry," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 31(4), pages 1064-1086, December.
    8. Jordi McKenzie, 2023. "The economics of movies (revisited): A survey of recent literature," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(2), pages 480-525, April.
    9. Jing Yan & Feng Yu, 2021. "Can international coproduction promote the performance of cultural products in the global markets? Evidence from the Chinese movie industry," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 157(4), pages 777-798, November.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Heterogeneous quality; Sequential entry; Motion pictures; Cultural trade;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade
    • L82 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Entertainment; Media

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