I characterize the effects of empirically observed managerial incentives on long-run oligopolistic competition. When managers have a preference for smooth time-paths of profits – as revealed by the empirical literature on ‘income smoothing’ – manager-led firms can sustain collusive agreements at lower discount factors. Capped bonus plans and incumbency rents with termination threats make collusion supportable at any discount factor, independent of contracts’ duration. When managers have these preferences/incentives and demand fluctuates, ‘price wars during booms’ need not occur: the most collusive price may then be pro-cyclical. Corporate governance codes invoking transparency may reinforce these effects.
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Paper provided by C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers in its series CEPR Discussion Papers with number
4506.
Find related papers by JEL classification: D43 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure and Pricing - - - Oligopoly and Other Forms of Market Imperfection G30 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - General J33 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Compensation Packages; Payment Methods L13 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Oligopoly and Other Imperfect Markets L21 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Business Objectives of the Firm
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