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On the “merger paradox” in price competition with asymmetric product differentiation

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  • Tsuyoshi Toshimitsu
  • Tetsuya Nakajima

Abstract

By assuming asymmetric product differentiation, we consider the “merger paradox” in price competition (or the incentive to collude in prices). We investigate whether the emergence of the merger paradox depends on the degree of product differentiation between firms. In particular, unlike Deneckere and Davidson (1985), we demonstrate that if the degree of product differentiation between the insider and outsider is sufficiently small, then they are strategic substitutes, and thus, the merger paradox arises in price competition.

Suggested Citation

  • Tsuyoshi Toshimitsu & Tetsuya Nakajima, 2021. "On the “merger paradox” in price competition with asymmetric product differentiation," Australian Economic Papers, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 60(1), pages 153-162, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:ausecp:v:60:y:2021:i:1:p:153-162
    DOI: 10.1111/1467-8454.12198
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Tsuyoshi Toshimitsu & Tetsuya Nakajima, 2018. "On the merger paradox and asymmetric product differentiation," Discussion Paper Series 173, School of Economics, Kwansei Gakuin University, revised Feb 2018.
    2. Farrell, Joseph & Shapiro, Carl, 1990. "Horizontal Mergers: An Equilibrium Analysis," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 80(1), pages 107-126, March.
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    10. Aviv Nevo, 2000. "Mergers with Differentiated Products: The Case of the Ready-to-Eat Cereal Industry," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 31(3), pages 395-421, Autumn.
    11. Brito Duarte & Catalão-Lopes Margarida, 2011. "Small Fish Become Big Fish: Mergers in Stackelberg Markets Revisited," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 11(1), pages 1-20, May.
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    Cited by:

    1. Neelanjan Sen & Uday Bhanu Sinha, 2023. "When to merge with a lower quality producer?," Journal of Economics, Springer, vol. 138(2), pages 165-188, March.

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