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Product Choice and Product Switching

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  • Stephen Redding
  • Andrew Bernard
  • Peter Schott

Abstract

This paper develops a model of endogenous product selection within industries by firms. The model is motivated by new evidence we present on the prevalence and importance of product changing activity by U.S. manufacturers. Three-fifths of continuing firms alter their product mix within an industry every five years, and added and dropped products account for a substantial portion of firm output. In the model, firms make decisions about both industry entry and product choice. Product choice is shaped by the interaction of heterogeneous firm characteristics and diverse product attributes. Changes in market conditions within an industry result in simultaneous adjustment along a number of margins, including both entry/exit and product choice.

Suggested Citation

  • Stephen Redding & Andrew Bernard & Peter Schott, 2005. "Product Choice and Product Switching," Working Papers 05-22, Center for Economic Studies, U.S. Census Bureau.
    • Handle: RePEc:cen:wpaper:05-22
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    1. repec:clu:wpaper:0708-12 is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Jan De Loecker, 2011. "Product Differentiation, Multiproduct Firms, and Estimating the Impact of Trade Liberalization on Productivity," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 79(5), pages 1407-1451, September.
    3. Edward L. Glaeser & William R. Kerr, 2009. "Local Industrial Conditions and Entrepreneurship: How Much of the Spatial Distribution Can We Explain?," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 18(3), pages 623-663, September.
    4. Pinelopi K Goldberg & Amit K Khandelwal & Nina Pavcnik & Petia Topalova, 2010. "Multiproduct Firms and Product Turnover in the Developing World: Evidence from India," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 92(4), pages 1042-1049, November.
    5. Timothy Dunne & Shawn D. Klimek & Mark J. Roberts, 2003. "Entrant Experience and Plant Exit," NBER Working Papers 10133, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. Maurice Kugler & Eric Verhoogen, 2012. "Prices, Plant Size, and Product Quality," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 79(1), pages 307-339.
    7. Pinelopi Koujianou Goldberg & Amit Kumar Khandelwal & Nina Pavcnik & Petia Topalova, 2010. "Imported Intermediate Inputs and Domestic Product Growth: Evidence from India," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 125(4), pages 1727-1767.
    8. Eric Brouillat, 2011. "Durability of consumption goods and market competition: an agent-based modelling," Post-Print hal-00780254, HAL.
    9. Atsushi Kawakami & Tsutomu Miyagawa, 2013. "Product Switching and Firm Performance in Japan - Empirical Analysis Based on the Census of Manufacturers," Public Policy Review, Policy Research Institute, Ministry of Finance Japan, vol. 9(2), pages 287-314, March.
    10. Kalina Manova & Zhiwei Zhang, 2008. "China's exporters and importers: firms, products, and trade partners," Working Paper Series 2008-28, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.
    11. David Greenaway & Joakim Gullstrand & Richard Kneller, 2009. "Live or Let Die? Alternative Routes to Industry Exit," Open Economies Review, Springer, vol. 20(3), pages 317-337, July.
    12. Dunne, Timothy & Klimek, Shawn D. & Roberts, Mark J., 2005. "Exit from regional manufacturing markets: The role of entrant experience," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 23(5-6), pages 399-421, June.
    13. Carlos Henrique Corseuil & Hidehiko Ichimura, 2006. "New Evidences on What Job Creation and Job Destruction Represent," Discussion papers 06023, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    14. Baldwin, John R. Lileeva, Alla, 2008. "Adapting to Import Competition: Effects of Low-wage Trade on Commodity Mix in Canadian Manufacturing Plants," Economic Analysis (EA) Research Paper Series 2008054e, Statistics Canada, Analytical Studies Branch.
    15. Eric Brouillat, 2015. "Live fast, die young? Investigating product life spans and obsolescence in an agent-based model," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 25(2), pages 447-473, April.
    16. Greenaway, David & Gullstrand, Joakim & Kneller, Richard, 2008. "Surviving globalisation," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 74(2), pages 264-277, March.
    17. Baldwin, John R. Lileeva, Alla, 2008. "Adaptation à la concurrence des importations : effets du commerce avec les pays à bas salaires sur le portefeuille de produits des établissements manufacturiers canadiens," Série de documents de recherche sur l'analyse économique (AE) 2008054f, Statistics Canada, Direction des études analytiques.
    18. Cheung, Cherry & Coucke, Kristien & Neicu, Daniel, 2011. "A Decision Tree as a Quick Scan for Effective Market Functioning," Working Papers 2011/06, Hogeschool-Universiteit Brussel, Faculteit Economie en Management.
    19. Joze P. Damijan & Crt Kostevc & Saso Polanec, 2008. "From innovation to exporting or vice versa? Causal link between innovation activity and exporting in Slovenian microdata," LICOS Discussion Papers 20408, LICOS - Centre for Institutions and Economic Performance, KU Leuven.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Product selection; heterogeneous firms; product differentiation; sunk entry costs;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L11 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Production, Pricing, and Market Structure; Size Distribution of Firms
    • D21 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Theory
    • L60 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Manufacturing - - - General

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