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Vertical integration and innovation

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  • Liu, Xingyi

Abstract

Innovation is a driving force for most industries, where it moreover affects many stages of the vertical chain. We study the impact of vertical integration on innovation in an industry where firms need to undertake risky R&D investments at both production and distribution stages. Vertical integration brings better coordination within the integrated firm, which boosts its investment incentive at both upstream and downstream levels. However, it is only mutually beneficial for firms to integrate when both upstream and downstream innovations are important. When innovation is irrelevant at one level, firms favor instead vertical separation. The analysis provides insights for the wave of mergers and R&D outsourcing observed in the pharmaceutical industry and other vertically related industries.

Suggested Citation

  • Liu, Xingyi, 2016. "Vertical integration and innovation," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 88-120.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:indorg:v:47:y:2016:i:c:p:88-120
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ijindorg.2016.02.002
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Zanchettin, Piercarlo & Mukherjee, Arijit, 2017. "Vertical integration and product differentiation," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 25-57.
    2. Inés Macho-Stadler & Noriaki Matsushima & Ryusuke Shinohara, 2019. "Organizational structure and technological investment," ISER Discussion Paper 1069r, Institute of Social and Economic Research, Osaka University, revised Apr 2020.
    3. Inés Macho-Stadler & Noriaki Matsushima & Ryusuke Shinohara, 2019. "Organizational Structure and Technological Investment," ISER Discussion Paper 1069, Institute of Social and Economic Research, Osaka University.
    4. Benoit Voudon, 2019. "Vertical Integration in the presence of a Cost-Reducing Technology," Trinity Economics Papers tep0919, Trinity College Dublin, Department of Economics.
    5. Inés Macho‐Stadler & Noriaki Matsushima & Ryusuke Shinohara, 2021. "Organizational Structure and Technological Investment," Journal of Industrial Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 69(4), pages 785-816, December.
    6. Sergio Daga & Pedro Mendi, 2022. "Informal input suppliers, quality choice and welfare," Journal of Economics, Springer, vol. 136(2), pages 149-176, July.
    7. Benoit Voudon, 2019. "Technology Adoption under Asymmetric Market Structure," Trinity Economics Papers tep0819, Trinity College Dublin, Department of Economics.
    8. Devos, Erik & Li, He, 2021. "Vertical integration to mitigate internal capital market inefficiencies," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    9. Li, Pei & Tan, Dan & Wang, Guangyong & Wei, Hang & Wu, Jilan, 2021. "Retailer's vertical integration strategies under different business modes," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 294(3), pages 965-975.
    10. Stöhr, Annika & Noskova, Victoriia & Kunz-Kaltenhäuser, Philipp & Gänßle, Sophia & Budzinski, Oliver, 2019. "Happily ever after? Vertical and horizontal mergers in the U.S. media industry," Ilmenau Economics Discussion Papers 126, Ilmenau University of Technology, Institute of Economics.
    11. Michael L. Polemis & Markos Tselekounis, 2022. "Upstream regulation and non-separable innovation," Economia e Politica Industriale: Journal of Industrial and Business Economics, Springer;Associazione Amici di Economia e Politica Industriale, vol. 49(2), pages 301-312, June.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Vertical integration; Innovation; Complementarity;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L11 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Production, Pricing, and Market Structure; Size Distribution of Firms
    • L13 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Oligopoly and Other Imperfect Markets
    • L22 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Organization and Market Structure
    • D21 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Theory

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