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Self-Reinforcing Market Dominance

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Author Info
Daniel Halbheer () (Socioeconomic Institute, University of Zurich)
Ernst Fehr () (Institute for Empirical Research in Economics, University of Zurich)
Lorenz Goette () (Center for Behavioral Economics and Decision Making, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston)
Armin Schmutzler () (Socioeconomic Institute, University of Zurich)

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Abstract

Are initial competitive advantages self-reinforcing, so that markets exhibit an endogenous tendency to be dominated by only a few firms? Although this question is of great economic importance, no systematic empirical study has yet addressed it. Therefore, we examine experimentally whether firms with an initial cost advantage are more likely to invest in cost reductions than firms with higher initial costs. Wefind that the initial competitive advantages are indeed self-reinforcing, but subjects in the role of firms overinvest relative to the Nash equilibrium. However, the pattern of overinvestment even strengthens the tendency towards self-reinforcing cost advantages relative to the theoretical prediction. Further, as predicted by the Nash equilibrium, aggregate investment is not affected by the initial efficiency distribution. Finally, investment spillovers reduce investment, and investment is higher than the joint-profit maximizing benchmark for the case without spillovers and lower for the case with spillovers.

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Publisher Info
Paper provided by University of Zurich, Socioeconomic Institute in its series Working Papers with number 0711.

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Length: 34 pages
Date of creation: Aug 2007
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Handle: RePEc:soz:wpaper:0711

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Related research
Keywords: Cost-reducing Investment; Asymmetric Oligopoly; Increasing Dominance; Experimental Study;

Other versions of this item:

Find related papers by JEL classification:
C90 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - General
D43 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure and Pricing - - - Oligopoly and Other Forms of Market Imperfection
L13 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Oligopoly and Other Imperfect Markets
O31 - Economic Development, Technological Change, and Growth - - Technological Change - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives

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Full references

Cited by:
(explanations, Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.)

  1. Dario Sacco & Armin Schmutzler, 2008. "Competition and Innovation: An Experimental Investigation," Working Papers 0807, University of Zurich, Socioeconomic Institute. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  2. Sandra Hanslin, 2008. "The effect of trade openness on optimal government size under endogenous firm entry," Working Papers 0802, University of Zurich, Socioeconomic Institute. [Downloadable!]
  3. Johannes Schoder & Peter Zweifel, 2008. "Managed Care Konzepte und Lösungsansätze– Ein internationaler Vergleich aus schweizerischer Sicht," Working Papers 0801, University of Zurich, Socioeconomic Institute. [Downloadable!]
  4. Dennis Gaertner, 2007. "Monopolistic Screening under Learning By Doing," Working Papers 0718, University of Zurich, Socioeconomic Institute. [Downloadable!]
  5. Josef Falkinger, 2008. "Between Agora and Shopping Mall," Working Papers 0805, University of Zurich, Socioeconomic Institute. [Downloadable!]
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  6. Adrian Bruhin, 2008. "Stochastic Expected Utility and Prospect Theory in a Horse Race: A Finite Mixture Approach," Working Papers 0803, University of Zurich, Socioeconomic Institute. [Downloadable!]
  7. Dennis Gaertner, 2007. "Why Bayes Rules: A Note on Bayesian vs. Classical Inference in Regime Switching Models," Working Papers 0719, University of Zurich, Socioeconomic Institute. [Downloadable!]
  8. Dario Sacco & Armin Schmutzler, 2008. "All-Pay Auctions with Negative Prize Externalities: Theory and Experimental Evidence," Working Papers 0806, University of Zurich, Socioeconomic Institute. [Downloadable!]
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