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Taking firms' margin targets seriously in a model of competition in supply functions

Author

Listed:
  • Denis Claude

    (LEDi - Laboratoire d'Economie de Dijon [Dijon] - UB - Université de Bourgogne - UBFC - Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté [COMUE])

  • Mabel Tidball

    (CEE-M - Centre d'Economie de l'Environnement - Montpellier - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement - Institut Agro Montpellier - Institut Agro - Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement - UM - Université de Montpellier)

Abstract

This article deals with the integration of industry‐level markup targets into oligopoly theory. It proposes a behavioral competition model in which firms use the average cost‐plus price to determine their supplies. Specifically, firms are assumed to increase (resp., decrease) their supplies as the market price rises over (resp., falls below) this reference price. The equilibrium market outcome lies between those corresponding to Bertrand and Cournot competition. It depends on the industry's margin target, which determines the slope of firms' supply functions. The more significant the markup target is, the lower are the firms' equilibrium supplies at any price level and the higher is the equilibrium market price. An industry‐wide commitment to targeting a markup thus reduces competition in equilibrium. The reduction in competition is more pronounced than when firms commit to linear supply functions.

Suggested Citation

  • Denis Claude & Mabel Tidball, 2025. "Taking firms' margin targets seriously in a model of competition in supply functions," Post-Print hal-04743649, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-04743649
    DOI: 10.1111/jems.12577
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.science/hal-04743649v1
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    1. Denis Claude & Mabel Tidball, 2025. "Taking firms' margin targets seriously in a model of competition in supply functions," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 34(1), pages 174-192, February.

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