IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/rom/rmcimn/v19y2018i4p410-421.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Impact of Competition on Productivity. Theory and Evidence

Author

Listed:
  • Iuliana-Tania ZLATCU

    (Bucharest University of Economic Studies)

  • Roxana CLODNITCHI

    (Bucharest University of Economic Studies)

Abstract

This paper reviews the theoretical and empirical literature on the impact of competition on firms’ efficiency and productivity. Looking at the effects of changes in competition overtime or analysing the relationship between competition and productivity across many product markets, a large body of empirical studies finds evidence of a positive relationship between competition and productivity, greater competition on the market leading to higher levels of productivity. On the other hand, the relationship between competition and innovation is highly debated, evidence suggesting a non-linear relationship with both very high and very low degree of competition discouraging firms from innovating.

Suggested Citation

  • Iuliana-Tania ZLATCU & Roxana CLODNITCHI, 2018. "The Impact of Competition on Productivity. Theory and Evidence," REVISTA DE MANAGEMENT COMPARAT INTERNATIONAL/REVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL COMPARATIVE MANAGEMENT, Faculty of Management, Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania, vol. 19(4), pages 410-421, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:rom:rmcimn:v:19:y:2018:i:4:p:410-421
    DOI: 10.24818/RMCI.2018.4.410
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.rmci.ase.ro/no19vol4/08.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.24818/RMCI.2018.4.410?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Philippe Aghion & Nick Bloom & Richard Blundell & Rachel Griffith & Peter Howitt, 2005. "Competition and Innovation: an Inverted-U Relationship," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 120(2), pages 701-728.
    2. Aghion, Philippe & Howitt, Peter, 1992. "A Model of Growth through Creative Destruction," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 60(2), pages 323-351, March.
    3. Philippe Aghion & Richard Blundell & Rachel Griffith & Peter Howitt & Susanne Prantl, 2009. "The Effects of Entry on Incumbent Innovation and Productivity," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 91(1), pages 20-32, February.
    4. Nickell, Stephen J, 1996. "Competition and Corporate Performance," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 104(4), pages 724-746, August.
    5. Andrea Bassanini & Stefano Scarpetta & Philip Hemmings, 2001. "Economic Growth: The Role of Policies and Institutions: Panel Data. Evidence from OECD Countries," OECD Economics Department Working Papers 283, OECD Publishing.
    6. Richard Disney & Jonathan Haskel & Ylva Heden, 2003. "Restructuring and productivity growth in uk manufacturing," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 113(489), pages 666-694, July.
    7. Philippe Aghion & Peter Howitt, 1998. "Market Structure and the Growth Process," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 1(1), pages 276-305, January.
    8. Gaëtan Nicodème & Jacques-Bernard Sauner-Leroy, 2007. "Product Market Reforms and Productivity: A Review of the Theoretical and Empirical Literature on the Transmission Channels," Journal of Industry, Competition and Trade, Springer, vol. 7(1), pages 53-72, March.
    9. Francesco Daveri & Rémy Lecat & Maria Laura Parisi, 2016. "Service Deregulation, Competition, and the Performance of French and Italian Firms," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 63(3), pages 278-302, July.
    10. Philippe Aghion & Christopher Harris & Peter Howitt & John Vickers, 2001. "Competition, Imitation and Growth with Step-by-Step Innovation," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 68(3), pages 467-492.
    11. G. M.P. Swann, 2009. "The Economics of Innovation," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 13211.
    12. Daron Acemoglu & Philippe Aghion & Fabrizio Zilibotti, 2006. "Distance to Frontier, Selection, and Economic Growth," Journal of the European Economic Association, MIT Press, vol. 4(1), pages 37-74, March.
    13. AMBASHI Masahito, 2013. "Does Competition Improve Industrial Productivity? An analysis of Japanese industries on the basis of the industry-level panel data," Discussion papers 13098, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    14. Andrea Bassanini & Stefano Scarpetta, 2003. "The Driving Forces of Economic Growth: Panel Data Evidence for the OECD Countries," OECD Economic Studies, OECD Publishing, vol. 2001(2), pages 9-56.
    15. Someshwar Rao & Ashfaq Ahmad & William Horsman & Phaedra Kaptein-Russell, 2001. "The Importance of Innovation for Productivity," International Productivity Monitor, Centre for the Study of Living Standards, vol. 2, pages 11-18, Spring.
    16. Philippe Aghion & Richard Blundell & Rachel Griffith & Peter Howitt & Susanne Prantl, 2004. "Entry and Productivity Growth: Evidence from Microlevel Panel Data," Journal of the European Economic Association, MIT Press, vol. 2(2-3), pages 265-276, 04/05.
    17. Marc Schiffbauer & Sandra Ospina, 2010. "Competition and Firm Productivity: Evidence from Firm-Level Data," IMF Working Papers 2010/067, International Monetary Fund.
    18. Sanghoon Ahn, 2002. "Competition, Innovation and Productivity Growth: A Review of Theory and Evidence," OECD Economics Department Working Papers 317, OECD Publishing.
    19. Maria Maher & Michael Wise, 2005. "Product Market Competition and Economic Performance in the United Kingdom," OECD Economics Department Working Papers 433, OECD Publishing.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Valkonen, Laura, 2006. "Deregulation as a Means to Increase Competition and Productivity," Discussion Papers 1014, The Research Institute of the Finnish Economy.
    2. Elena Podrecca, 2013. "Riforme del mercato dei prodotti e crescita della produttivit?. Teoria ed evidenza empirica," ECONOMIA E SOCIET? REGIONALE, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 0(2), pages 10-41.
    3. Renaud Bourlès & Gilbert Cette & Jimmy Lopez & Jacques Mairesse & Giuseppe Nicoletti, 2013. "Do Product Market Regulations In Upstream Sectors Curb Productivity Growth? Panel Data Evidence For OECD Countries," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 95(5), pages 1750-1768, December.
    4. Aghion, Philippe & Akcigit, Ufuk & Howitt, Peter, 2014. "What Do We Learn From Schumpeterian Growth Theory?," Handbook of Economic Growth, in: Philippe Aghion & Steven Durlauf (ed.), Handbook of Economic Growth, edition 1, volume 2, chapter 0, pages 515-563, Elsevier.
    5. Anderton, Robert & Di Lupidio, Benedetta & Jarmulska, Barbara, 2020. "The impact of product market regulation on productivity through firm churning: Evidence from European countries," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 487-501.
    6. Braunerhjelm, Pontus, 2010. "Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Economic Growth - past experience, current knowledge and policy implications," Working Paper Series in Economics and Institutions of Innovation 224, Royal Institute of Technology, CESIS - Centre of Excellence for Science and Innovation Studies.
    7. MARSCHINSKI Robert & DE AMORES HERNANDEZ Antonio & AMOROSO Sara & BAUER Peter & CARDANI Roberta & CSEFALVAY Zoltan & GENTY Aurelien & GKOTSIS Petros & GREGORI Wildmer & GRASSANO Nicola & HERNANDEZ GUE, 2021. "EU competitiveness: recent trends, drivers, and links to economic policy: A Synthesis Report," JRC Research Reports JRC123232, Joint Research Centre.
    8. Alberto Bucci, 2003. "R&D, Imperfect Competition and Growth with Human Capital Accumulation," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 50(4), pages 417-439, September.
    9. Zoltan J. Acs & Pontus Braunerhjelm & Charlie Karlsson, 2017. "Philippe Aghion: recipient of the 2016 Global Award for Entrepreneurship Research," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 48(1), pages 1-8, January.
    10. Pedro Carvalho, 2018. "Competition and Firm Productivity: Evidence from Portugal," GEE Papers 00108, Gabinete de Estratégia e Estudos, Ministério da Economia, revised Jul 2018.
    11. Pedro Carvalho, 2018. "Competition and Firm Productivity: Evidence from Portugal," GEE Papers 00108, Gabinete de Estratégia e Estudos, Ministério da Economia, revised Jul 2018.
    12. T. Gries & R. Grundmann & I. Palnau & M. Redlin, 2017. "Innovations, growth and participation in advanced economies - a review of major concepts and findings," International Economics and Economic Policy, Springer, vol. 14(2), pages 293-351, April.
    13. Alessandro D. SCOPELLITI, 2010. "Competition And Economic Growth: A Critical Survey Of The Theoretical Literature," Journal of Applied Economic Sciences, Spiru Haret University, Faculty of Financial Management and Accounting Craiova, vol. 5(1(11)_Spr), pages 70-93.
    14. Scopelliti, Alessandro Diego, 2009. "Competition and Economic Growth: an Empirical Analysis for a Panel of 20 OECD Countries," MPRA Paper 20127, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    15. Marc J. Melitz & Stephen J. Redding, 2021. "Trade and innovation," CEP Discussion Papers dp1777, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    16. Philippe Aghion & Richard Blundell & Rachel Griffith & Peter Howitt & Susanne Prantl, 2009. "The Effects of Entry on Incumbent Innovation and Productivity," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 91(1), pages 20-32, February.
    17. Javier Changoluisa & Michael Fritsch, 2020. "New Business Formation and Incumbents’ Perception of Competitive Pressure," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 56(1), pages 165-197, February.
    18. Priit Vahter, 2009. "Productivity in Estonian Enterprises: the Role of Innovation and Competition," Chapters, in: David G. Mayes (ed.), Microfoundations of Economic Success, chapter 4, pages 131-167, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    19. Rachel Griffith & Rupert Harrison & Helen Simpson, 2010. "Product Market Reform and Innovation in the EU," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 112(2), pages 389-415, June.
    20. Gaëtan Nicodème & Jacques-Bernard Sauner-Leroy, 2007. "Product Market Reforms and Productivity: A Review of the Theoretical and Empirical Literature on the Transmission Channels," Journal of Industry, Competition and Trade, Springer, vol. 7(1), pages 53-72, March.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    competition; regulatory reforms; productivity; firm efficiency.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L40 - Industrial Organization - - Antitrust Issues and Policies - - - General
    • L11 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Production, Pricing, and Market Structure; Size Distribution of Firms
    • F43 - International Economics - - Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance - - - Economic Growth of Open Economies
    • D24 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Production; Cost; Capital; Capital, Total Factor, and Multifactor Productivity; Capacity

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:rom:rmcimn:v:19:y:2018:i:4:p:410-421. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Marian Nastase (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/mnasero.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.