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The influence of size on cost behaviour associated with tactical and operational flexibility

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  • Josep Mª Argilés Bosch
  • Josep García Blandón

Abstract

This paper contributes with an empirical analysis, using a sample of farms, on the influence of size on cost behaviour under operational and tactical flexibility. Results indicate that small farms behave advantageously with respect to biggest farms in situations of operational and tactical flexibility. On the one hand, the increase in indirect costs with product diversification is higher in bigger farms than in smaller. On the other hand, while most farms are flexible enough to avoid cost stickiness, the biggest face considerable rigidities in downsizing indirect costs when activity decreases.

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  • Josep Mª Argilés Bosch & Josep García Blandón, 2011. "The influence of size on cost behaviour associated with tactical and operational flexibility," Estudios de Economia, University of Chile, Department of Economics, vol. 38(2 Year 20), pages 419-455, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:udc:esteco:v:38:y:2011:i:1:p:419-455
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    Cited by:

    1. Tsakiridis, Andreas & Breen, James & O'Donoghue, Cathal & Hanrahan, Kevin & Wallace, Michael & Crosson, Paul, 2016. "Flexibility of beef suckler cow systems under varying calf retention strategies," 90th Annual Conference, April 4-6, 2016, Warwick University, Coventry, UK 236289, Agricultural Economics Society.
    2. Shohei Nagasawa, 2018. "Asymmetric cost behavior in local public enterprises: exploring the public interest and striving for efficiency," Journal of Management Control: Zeitschrift für Planung und Unternehmenssteuerung, Springer, vol. 29(3), pages 225-273, December.
    3. Hakan Özkaya, 2021. "Sticky cost behavior: evidence from small and medium sized enterprises in Turkey," Eurasian Business Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 11(2), pages 349-369, June.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Agricultural economics; Tactical flexibility; Operational flexibility; Cost behaviour; Size.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • M41 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Accounting - - - Accounting
    • Q12 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Micro Analysis of Farm Firms, Farm Households, and Farm Input Markets
    • D24 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Production; Cost; Capital; Capital, Total Factor, and Multifactor Productivity; Capacity

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