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Competition in the Portuguese economy: insights from a profit elasticity approach

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  • João Amador

    (Banco de Portugal
    Nova School of Business and Economics)

  • Ana Cristina Soares

    (Banco de Portugal)

Abstract

The article uses the elasticity of profits to marginal costs, as in Boone (Econ J 111:1245–1261, 2008b), to measure the degree of competition in the Portuguese economy in a period characterised by the reallocation of resources towards the non-tradable sector and the accumulation of macroeconomic imbalances. Using firm-level data for the period 2000–2009, we find that there is lower competition intensity in the non-tradable sector. The least competitive markets within this sector lay in professional services, network industries and segments of retail trade. We also find that reductions in competition intensity are relatively widespread in the economy, but in terms of sales, gross value added and employment they are more substantial in the non-tradable sector. Results suggest that some network industries and other services exhibit low and a declining competition intensity in the period under analysis. In addition, the article discusses the coherence of the profit elasticity with classic indicators of market power, such as the Herfindahl–Hirschman index and the price-cost margin, and find that in more than half of the markets there is an agreement in the dynamics of competition intensity.

Suggested Citation

  • João Amador & Ana Cristina Soares, 2018. "Competition in the Portuguese economy: insights from a profit elasticity approach," Empirica, Springer;Austrian Institute for Economic Research;Austrian Economic Association, vol. 45(2), pages 339-365, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:empiri:v:45:y:2018:i:2:d:10.1007_s10663-016-9363-1
    DOI: 10.1007/s10663-016-9363-1
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    Cited by:

    1. Ana Cristina Soares & João Amador, 2012. "Measuring competition in the Portuguese economy using profit elasticities," Economic Bulletin and Financial Stability Report Articles and Banco de Portugal Economic Studies, Banco de Portugal, Economics and Research Department.
    2. Ana Cristina Soares & João Amador, 2013. "Competition in the Portuguese Economy: Estimated Price-Cost Margins Under Imperfect Labour Markets," Economic Bulletin and Financial Stability Report Articles and Banco de Portugal Economic Studies, Banco de Portugal, Economics and Research Department.
    3. Koski, Heli, 2013. "The Impact of the USO on the Profitability of Postal Service Provision in Finland," ETLA Working Papers 22, The Research Institute of the Finnish Economy.
    4. De Bonis, Riccardo & Marinelli, Giuseppe & Vercelli, Francesco, 2018. "Playing yo-yo with bank competition: New evidence from 1890 to 2014," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 134-151.
    5. Michele Cincera & Ela Ince & Anabela Marques Santos, 2019. "Competition and Innovation: Evidence from Worldwide Corporate R&D Spenders," Working Papers TIMES² 2019-33, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    6. Cincera, Michele & Ince, Ela & Santos, Anabela, 2024. "Revisiting the innovation-competition nexus: Evidence from worldwide manufacturing and service industries," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 586-603.
    7. Barros, Pedro Pita, 2017. "Competition policy for health care provision in Portugal," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 121(2), pages 141-148.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Market competition; Profit elasticity; Portuguese economy;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D43 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - Oligopoly and Other Forms of Market Imperfection
    • L10 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - General
    • O50 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - General

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