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Does competition lead to customization?

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  • Hsu, Wen-Tai
  • Lu, Yi
  • Ng, Travis

Abstract

This paper proposes a theory of competition and customization. When firms allocate their production to both custom-made and standardized products, the fraction of sales from the former will increase in the face of increased competition. Recent surveys conducted by the World Bank on Chinese firms provide a rare direct measure of customization that allows us to test the above-mentioned prediction. We find empirical results consistent with the prediction.

Suggested Citation

  • Hsu, Wen-Tai & Lu, Yi & Ng, Travis, 2014. "Does competition lead to customization?," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 10-28.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jeborg:v:106:y:2014:i:c:p:10-28
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jebo.2014.05.011
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    Cited by:

    1. Pak Hung Au & Xiaoping Chen, 2019. "A Model of Trade with Endogenous Product Design," HKUST CEP Working Papers Series 201901, HKUST Center for Economic Policy.
    2. Ruggero Paladini, 2017. "Il paradosso di S. Pietroburgo, una rassegna," Public Finance Research Papers 29, Istituto di Economia e Finanza, DSGE, Sapienza University of Rome.
    3. Na Liu & Pui-Sze Chow & Hongshan Zhao, 2020. "Challenges and critical successful factors for apparel mass customization operations: recent development and case study," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 291(1), pages 531-563, August.
    4. Ajay Bhaskarabhatla, 2016. "The Moderating Role of Submarket Dynamics on the Product Customization–Firm Survival Relationship," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 27(4), pages 1049-1064, August.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Customization; Competition; Manufacturing; Spatialcompetition;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D43 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - Oligopoly and Other Forms of Market Imperfection
    • L11 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Production, Pricing, and Market Structure; Size Distribution of Firms
    • L15 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Information and Product Quality

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