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The Durability of Information, Market Efficiency and the Size of Firms

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  • Fishman, Arthur
  • Rob, Rafael

Abstract

The authors analyze a search-theoretic framework in which consumers buy the product repeatedly and firms' costs vary over time. They show the cross-sectional correlation between profits and firm size, the persistence of profits over time, and the role of consumers' immobility in determining firms' profits. In contrast with previous explanations of these phenomena, which are based on differences in inherent productive efficiencies, firms in the authors' model have the same efficiencies but some firms are more successful ex post which affects their subsequent (pricing) behavior and enables them to sustain their privileged position. In particular, large and more profitable firms raise their prices more moderately when their costs increase. Copyright 1995 by Economics Department of the University of Pennsylvania and the Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association.

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  • Fishman, Arthur & Rob, Rafael, 1995. "The Durability of Information, Market Efficiency and the Size of Firms," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 36(1), pages 19-36, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:ier:iecrev:v:36:y:1995:i:1:p:19-36
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    Cited by:

    1. Amir, Rabah & Wooders, John, 2000. "One-Way Spillovers, Endogenous Innovator/Imitator Roles, and Research Joint Ventures," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 31(1), pages 1-25, April.
    2. Mark J. Roberts & Dylan Supina, 1997. "Output Price and Markup Dispersion in Micro Data: The Roles of Producer Heterogeneity and Noise," NBER Working Papers 6075, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. Roller, Lars-Hendrik & Sinclair-Desgagne, Bernard, 1996. "On the heterogeneity of firms," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 40(3-5), pages 531-539, April.
    4. Tung Yu Marco Chan, 2020. "Expanding on Repeated Consumer Search Using Multi-Armed Bandits and Secretaries," Papers 2012.11900, arXiv.org, revised Dec 2020.
    5. Dermot Leahy & Catia Montagna, 1998. "Targeted Strategic Trade Policy with Domestic Cost Heterogeneity," Dundee Discussion Papers in Economics 100, Economic Studies, University of Dundee.
    6. Kováč, Eugen & Schmidt, Robert C., 2014. "Market share dynamics in a duopoly model with word-of-mouth communication," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 178-206.
    7. Alfredo Martin-Oliver & Vicente Salas-Fumas & Jesús Saurina, 2008. "Search Cost and Price Dispersion in Vertically Related Markets: The Case of Bank Loans and Deposits," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 33(4), pages 297-323, December.
    8. Koenen, Johannes & Peitz, Martin, 2015. "Firm reputation and incentives to “milk” pending patents," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 18-29.
    9. Charles Leung & Youngman Leong & Siu Wong, 2006. "Housing Price Dispersion: An Empirical Investigation," The Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics, Springer, vol. 32(3), pages 357-385, May.
    10. Fishman, Arthur & Rob, Rafael, 2003. "Consumer inertia, firm growth and industry dynamics," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 109(1), pages 24-38, March.
    11. Hong, Pilky & McAfee, R. Preston & Nayyar, Ashish, 2002. "Equilibrium Price Dispersion with Consumer Inventories," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 105(2), pages 503-517, August.
    12. Mark J Roberts & Dylan Supina, 1997. "Output Price And Markup Dispersion In Micro Data: The Roles Of Producer And Heterogeneity And Noise," Working Papers 97-10, Center for Economic Studies, U.S. Census Bureau.
    13. Guido Menzio, 2007. "A Search Theory of Rigid Prices," PIER Working Paper Archive 07-031, Penn Institute for Economic Research, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania.
    14. Mariano Tommasi, 1993. "The Consequences of Price Instability on Search Markets," UCLA Economics Working Papers 700, UCLA Department of Economics.
    15. L. Lambertini & G. Rossini, 2000. "Excess Capacity in Oligopoly with Sequential Entry," Working Papers 384, Dipartimento Scienze Economiche, Universita' di Bologna.
    16. Tse, Chung Yi, 2006. "New product introduction with costly search," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 30(12), pages 2775-2792, December.
    17. Alfredo Martín-Oliver & Vicente Salas-Fumás & Jesús Saurina, 2005. "Interest rate dispersion in deposit and loan markets," Working Papers 0506, Banco de España.

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