IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/taf/ijecbs/v7y2000i3p245-261.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Competitive Effects of Advertising in the US Automobile Industry, 1970-94

Author

Listed:
  • Matthias Greuner
  • David Kamerschen
  • Peter Klein

Abstract

Is advertising anticompetitive? One school of thought in industrial economics holds that advertising increases profits and reduces consumer welfare by creating spurious product differentiation and barriers to entry. Another school focuses on the informative character of advertising, claiming that advertising makes markets more competitive and reduces profits by supplying consumers with information about price and quality. We distinguish these views by examining the effect of advertising on competition in the US automobile industry. Our data include advertising, sales, profit, and market-share figures for General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler over a 25-year period from 1970 to 1994.We ask if advertising increases or decreases profitability, controlling for market structure and other factors affecting demand.Wefind that these firms cannot increase their profits above normal levels by increasing their advertising expenditures. This evidence supports the view that advertising serves primarily to transmit information, not to create entry barriers.

Suggested Citation

  • Matthias Greuner & David Kamerschen & Peter Klein, 2000. "The Competitive Effects of Advertising in the US Automobile Industry, 1970-94," International Journal of the Economics of Business, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 7(3), pages 245-261.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:ijecbs:v:7:y:2000:i:3:p:245-261
    DOI: 10.1080/13571510050197177
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/13571510050197177
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1080/13571510050197177?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
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Stephen Martin, 1979. "Advertising, Concentration, and Profitability: The Simultaneity Problem," Bell Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 10(2), pages 639-647, Autumn.
    2. Severin Boreinstein & Andrea Shepard, 1996. "Dynamic Pricing in Retail Gasoline Markets," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 27(3), pages 429-451, Autumn.
    3. Leffler, Keith B, 1981. "Persuasion or Information? The Economics of Prescription Drug Advertising," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 24(1), pages 45-74, April.
    4. Weiss, Leonard W, 1969. "Advertising, Profits, and Corporate Taxes," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 51(4), pages 421-430, November.
    5. Domowitz, Ian & Hubbard, R Glenn & Petersen, Bruce C, 1986. "The Intertemporal Stability of the Concentration-Margins Relationship," Journal of Industrial Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(1), pages 13-34, September.
    6. Comanor, William S & Wilson, Thomas A, 1979. "The Effect of Advertising on Competition: A Survey," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 17(2), pages 453-476, June.
    7. Henry G. Grabowksi & Dennis C. Mueller, 1978. "Industrial Research and Development, Intangible Capital Stocks, and Firm Profit Rates," Bell Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 9(2), pages 328-343, Autumn.
    8. Ashley, R & Granger, C W J & Schmalensee, R, 1980. "Advertising and Aggregate Consumption: An Analysis of Causality," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 48(5), pages 1149-1167, July.
    9. Bothwell, James L & Cooley, Thomas F & Hall, Thomas E, 1984. "A New View of the Market Structure-Performance Debate," Journal of Industrial Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(4), pages 397-417, June.
    10. Nelson, Philip, 1974. "Advertising as Information," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 82(4), pages 729-754, July/Aug..
    11. Simon, Julian L, 1980. "On Firm Size and Advertising Efficiency: A Comment," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 18(3), pages 1066-1075, September.
    12. Franklin M. Fisher, 1987. "On the Misuse of the Profits-Sales Ratio to Infer Monopoly Power," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 18(3), pages 384-396, Autumn.
    13. Kessides, Ioannis N, 1986. "Advertising, Sunk Costs, and Barriers to Entry," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 68(1), pages 84-95, February.
    14. Kwoka, John E, Jr, 1993. "The Sales and Competitive Effects of Styling and Advertising Practices in the U.S. Auto Industry," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 75(4), pages 649-656, November.
    15. Bloch, Harry, 1980. "The Effect of Advertising on Competition: Comments on A Survey," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 18(3), pages 1063-1066, September.
    16. Stigler, George J., 2011. "Economics of Information," Ekonomicheskaya Politika / Economic Policy, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, vol. 5, pages 35-49.
    17. Demsetz, Harold, 1973. "Industry Structure, Market Rivalry, and Public Policy," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 16(1), pages 1-9, April.
    18. Schmalensee, Richard, 1982. "Product Differentiation Advantages of Pioneering Brands," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 72(3), pages 349-365, June.
    19. Demsetz, Harold, 1979. "Accounting for Advertising as a Barrier to Entry," The Journal of Business, University of Chicago Press, vol. 52(3), pages 345-360, July.
    20. Bloch, Harry, 1974. "Advertising and Profitability: A Reappraisal," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 82(2), pages 267-286, Part I, M.
    21. Mark W. Nichols, 1998. "Advertising and Quality in the U.S. Market for Automobiles," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 64(4), pages 922-939, April.
    22. Imel, Blake & Helmberger, Peter, 1971. "Estimation of Structure-Profit Relationships with Application to the Food Processing Sector," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 61(4), pages 614-627, September.
    23. Lester G. Telser, 1964. "Advertising and Competition," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 72(6), pages 537-537.
    24. Sutton, C J, 1974. "Advertising, Concentration and Competition," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 84(333), pages 56-69, March.
    25. Ayanian, Robert, 1975. "Advertising and Rate of Return," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 18(2), pages 479-506, October.
    26. Nagle, Thomas T, 1981. "Do Advertising-Profitability Studies Really Show That Advertising Creates a Barrier to Entry?," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 24(2), pages 333-349, October.
    27. Porter, Michael E, 1979. "The Structure within Industries and Companies' Performance," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 61(2), pages 214-227, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Chen, Chien-Ming & van Dalen, Jan, 2010. "Measuring dynamic efficiency: Theories and an integrated methodology," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 203(3), pages 749-760, June.
    2. Khan, Shahzaib Sattar & Karim, Emadul, 2021. "“Factors Influencing Consumer Purchase Intentions in buying Honda City in Karachi, Pakistan”," MPRA Paper 110807, University Library of Munich, Germany.

    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. Charles DeLorme & Peter Klein & David Kamerschen & Lisa Ford Voeks, 2003. "Structure, conduct and performance: a simultaneous equations approach," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 35(1), pages 13-20.
    2. ÖRS, Evren, 2006. "The Role of Advertising in Commercial Banking," CEPR Discussion Papers 5461, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    3. Régis Chenavaz & Sajjad M. Jasimuddin, 2017. "An analytical model of the relationship between product quality and advertising," Post-Print hal-01685892, HAL.
    4. Jean Samuel Beuscart & Kevin Mellet, 2008. "Business Models of the Web 2.0: Advertising or The Tale of Two Stories," Post-Print hal-03459866, HAL.
    5. Jhuma Mukhopadhyay & Indrani Chakraborty, 2017. "Competition and Industry Performance: A Panel VAR Analysis in Indian Manufacturing Sector," Journal of Quantitative Economics, Springer;The Indian Econometric Society (TIES), vol. 15(2), pages 343-366, June.
    6. Natsuko Iwasaki & Barry Seldon & Victor Tremblay, 2008. "Brewing Wars of Attrition for Profit (and Concentration)," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 33(4), pages 263-279, December.
    7. Stone, Michael P. & Miceli, Thomas J., 2012. "Optimal attorney advertising," International Review of Law and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(3), pages 329-338.
    8. repec:spo:wpmain:info:hdl:2441/1u4ael0gba89u9tc82qa554gij is not listed on IDEAS
    9. Chan, Tat Y. & Narasimhan, Chakravarthi & Yoon, Yeujun, 2017. "Advertising and price competition in a manufacturer-retailer channel," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 34(3), pages 694-716.
    10. Michael Salinger, 1990. "The Concentration-Margins Relationship Reconsidered," Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Economic Studies Program, The Brookings Institution, vol. 21(1990 Micr), pages 287-335.
    11. repec:hal:spmain:info:hdl:2441/1u4ael0gba89u9tc82qa554gij is not listed on IDEAS
    12. Dhaval M. Dave, 2013. "Effects of Pharmaceutical Promotion: A Review and Assessment," NBER Working Papers 18830, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    13. Wang, Shinn-Shyr & Stiegert, Kyle W., 2006. "The Duopolistic Firm with Endogenous Risk Control: Case of Persuasive Advertising and Product Differentiation," Staff Paper Series 496, University of Wisconsin, Agricultural and Applied Economics.
    14. Ellen R. McGrattan & Edward C. Prescott, 2010. "Technology Capital and the US Current Account," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 100(4), pages 1493-1522, September.
    15. Mark W. Nichols, 1998. "Advertising and Quality in the U.S. Market for Automobiles," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 64(4), pages 922-939, April.
    16. Quilkey, John J., 1986. "Promotion Of Primary Products - A View From The Cloister," Australian Journal of Agricultural Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 30(1), pages 1-15, April.
    17. Chen, Miao-Ling, 2004. "The effects of advertising on retail price competition under vertical restraint: A Japanese case," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 57(3), pages 277-283, March.
    18. Serafin Grundl & You Suk Kim, 2019. "Consumer mistakes and advertising: The case of mortgage refinancing," Quantitative Marketing and Economics (QME), Springer, vol. 17(2), pages 161-213, June.
    19. Stivers, Andrew & Tremblay, Victor J., 2005. "Advertising, search costs, and social welfare," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 17(3), pages 317-333, July.
    20. Wang, Shinn-Shyr & Stiegert, Kyle W., 2006. "The Duopolistic Firm with Endogenous Risk Control: Case of Persuasive Advertising and Product Differentiation," Staff Papers 12606, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics.
    21. Anandhi S. Bharadwaj & Sundar G. Bharadwaj & Benn R. Konsynski, 1999. "Information Technology Effects on Firm Performance as Measured by Tobin's q," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 45(7), pages 1008-1024, July.
    22. Mahlich, Jörg C. & Yurtoglu, Burcin, 2011. "Intangibles Kapital und Rentabilität in der Pharmaindustrie," Die Unternehmung - Swiss Journal of Business Research and Practice, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, vol. 65(1), pages 32-49.

    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:taf:ijecbs:v:7:y:2000:i:3:p:245-261. 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: Chris Longhurst (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.tandfonline.com/CIJB20 .

    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.