IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/jeczfn/v134y2021i2d10.1007_s00712-021-00741-z.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Will managerial delegation impede upstream collusion?

Author

Listed:
  • Leonard F. S. Wang

    (Zhongnan University of Economics and Law)

  • Han Wang

    (The Ohio State University)

Abstract

We investigate the collusive incentive for far-sighted manufacturers selling via managerial retailers. In contrast to the existing literature, we find that revenue delegation can impede upstream collusion in Bertrand models. This happens due to market exit in the deviation phase when products are close substitutes. The result of managerial delegation hindering upstream collusion is robust if we allow manufacturers to consider partial collusion. Furthermore, we show that less intensified downstream competition does not always harm consumers. If upstream collusion is less sustainable with managerial retailers, consumers can be better-off.

Suggested Citation

  • Leonard F. S. Wang & Han Wang, 2021. "Will managerial delegation impede upstream collusion?," Journal of Economics, Springer, vol. 134(2), pages 127-146, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jeczfn:v:134:y:2021:i:2:d:10.1007_s00712-021-00741-z
    DOI: 10.1007/s00712-021-00741-z
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s00712-021-00741-z
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s00712-021-00741-z?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Luis C. Corchón & Marco A. Marini (ed.), 2018. "Handbook of Game Theory and Industrial Organization, Volume II," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 17978.
    2. Toshihiro Matsumura & Noriaki Matsushima, 2012. "Competitiveness And Stability Of Collusive Behavior," Bulletin of Economic Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 64(Supplemen), pages 22-31, December.
    3. repec:bla:buecrs:v:64:y:2012:i::p:s22-s31 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. Ross, Thomas W., 1992. "Cartel stability and product differentiation," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 10(1), pages 1-13, March.
    5. Svend Albæk & Luca Lambertini, 2004. "Price vs quantity in duopoly supergames with close substitutes," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 38(4), pages 567-577, December.
    6. Chrysovalantou Milliou & Apostolis Pavlou, 2013. "Upstream Mergers, Downstream Competition, and R&D Investments," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 22(4), pages 787-809, December.
    7. Piercarlo Zanchettin, 2006. "Differentiated Duopoly with Asymmetric Costs," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 15(4), pages 999-1015, December.
    8. João Correia-da-Silva & Joana Pinho, 2018. "Collusion in mixed oligopolies and the coordinated effects of privatization," Journal of Economics, Springer, vol. 124(1), pages 19-55, May.
    9. Milliou, Chrysovalantou & Petrakis, Emmanuel, 2007. "Upstream horizontal mergers, vertical contracts, and bargaining," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 25(5), pages 963-987, October.
    10. Luis C. Corchón & Marco A. Marini (ed.), 2018. "Handbook of Game Theory and Industrial Organization, Volume I," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 16873.
    11. Baldelli, Serena & Lambertini, Luca, 2006. "Price vs quantity in a duopoly supergame with Nash punishments," Research in Economics, Elsevier, vol. 60(3), pages 121-130, September.
    12. Michael L. Katz, 1991. "Game-Playing Agents: Unobservable Contracts as Precommitments," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 22(3), pages 307-328, Autumn.
    13. Salvatore Piccolo & Markus Reisinger, 2011. "Exclusive Territories and Manufacturers' Collusion," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 57(7), pages 1250-1266, July.
    14. Vickers, John, 1985. "Delegation and the Theory of the Firm," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 95(380a), pages 138-147, Supplemen.
    15. Dingwei Gu & Zhiyong Yao & Wen Zhou & Rangrang Bai, 2019. "When is upstream collusion profitable?," RAND Journal of Economics, RAND Corporation, vol. 50(2), pages 326-341, June.
    16. Fershtman, Chaim & Judd, Kenneth L, 1987. "Equilibrium Incentives in Oligopoly," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 77(5), pages 927-940, December.
    17. Kangsik Choi, 2019. "Price And Quantity Competition With Asymmetric Costs In A Mixed Duopoly: A Technical Note," Bulletin of Economic Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 71(1), pages 33-46, January.
    18. Deneckere, R., 1983. "Duopoly supergames with product differentiation," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 11(1-2), pages 37-42.
    19. Steven D. Sklivas, 1987. "The Strategic Choice of Managerial Incentives," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 18(3), pages 452-458, Autumn.
    20. Volker Nocke & Lucy White, 2007. "Do Vertical Mergers Facilitate Upstream Collusion?," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 97(4), pages 1321-1339, September.
    21. Nirvikar Singh & Xavier Vives, 1984. "Price and Quantity Competition in a Differentiated Duopoly," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 15(4), pages 546-554, Winter.
    22. Markus Reisinger & Tim Paul Thomes, 2017. "Manufacturer collusion: Strategic implications of the channel structure," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(4), pages 923-954, December.
    23. Bian, Junsong & Lai, Kin Keung & Hua, Zhongsheng, 2013. "Upstream collusion and downstream managerial incentives," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 118(1), pages 97-100.
    24. Margarida Catalão-Lopes & Duarte Brito, 2021. "Post-merger internal organization in multitier decentralized supply chains," Journal of Economics, Springer, vol. 132(3), pages 251-289, April.
    25. Albaek, Svend & Lambertini, Luca, 1998. "Collusion in differentiated duopolies revisited," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 59(3), pages 305-308, June.
    26. Fershtman, Chaim, 1985. "Managerial incentives as a strategic variable in duopolistic environment," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 3(2), pages 245-253, June.
    27. Pedro Mendi, 2009. "Backward integration and collusion in a duopoly model with asymmetric costs," Journal of Economics, Springer, vol. 96(2), pages 95-112, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Jen-Yao Lee & Chen-Chia Fan & Chien-Shu Tsai, 2023. "Network Externalities and Downstream Collusion under Asymmetric Costs: A Note," Games, MDPI, vol. 14(2), pages 1-11, March.
    2. Lee, Jen-Yao & Wang, Leonard F. S. & Sun, Ji, 2022. "Relative-performance delegation destabilizes upstream collusion," MPRA Paper 114939, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 12 Oct 2022.
    3. Bin Ying & Leonard F. S. Wang & Qidi Zhang, 2023. "Upstream collusion and corporate social responsibility in downstream competition," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 44(2), pages 1020-1028, March.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Delbono, Flavio & Lambertini, Luca, 2020. "On the collusive nature of managerial contracts based on comparative performance," Research in Economics, Elsevier, vol. 74(1), pages 12-18.
    2. Lee, Jen-Yao & Wang, Leonard F. S. & Sun, Ji, 2022. "Relative-performance delegation destabilizes upstream collusion," MPRA Paper 114939, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 12 Oct 2022.
    3. Bin Ying & Leonard F. S. Wang & Qidi Zhang, 2023. "Upstream collusion and corporate social responsibility in downstream competition," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 44(2), pages 1020-1028, March.
    4. Mariana Cunha & Filipa Mota, 2020. "Coordinated Effects of Corporate Social Responsibility," Journal of Industry, Competition and Trade, Springer, vol. 20(4), pages 617-641, December.
    5. Lambertini, Luca & Trombetta, Marco, 2002. "Delegation and firms' ability to collude," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 47(4), pages 359-373, April.
    6. Bian, Junsong & Lai, Kin Keung & Hua, Zhongsheng & Zhao, Xuan & Zhou, Guanghui, 2018. "Bertrand vs. Cournot competition in distribution channels with upstream collusion," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 204(C), pages 278-289.
    7. Davide Dragone, 2007. "Should One Sell Domestic Firms to Foreign Ones? A Tale of Delegation, Acquisition and Collusion," Rivista di Politica Economica, SIPI Spa, vol. 97(3), pages 85-112, May-June.
    8. Bloomfield, Matthew J., 2021. "Compensation disclosures and strategic commitment: Evidence from revenue-based pay," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 141(2), pages 620-643.
    9. Manasakis, Constantine & Vlassis, Minas, 2014. "Downstream mode of competition with upstream market power," Research in Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(1), pages 84-93.
    10. Luciano Fanti & Nicola Meccheri, 2015. "On the Cournot–Bertrand Profit Differential and the Structure of Unionisation in a Managerial Duopoly," Australian Economic Papers, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(4), pages 266-287, December.
    11. Ya‐chin Wang & Leonard F.s. Wang, 2009. "Equivalence Of Competition Mode In A Vertically Differentiated Duopoly With Delegation," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 77(4), pages 577-590, December.
    12. Pal, Rupayan, 2015. "Cournot vs. Bertrand under relative performance delegation: Implications of positive and negative network externalities," Mathematical Social Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 94-101.
    13. Rupayan Pal, 2012. "Delegation And Emission Tax In A Differentiated Oligopoly," Manchester School, University of Manchester, vol. 80(6), pages 650-670, December.
    14. Bakaouka, Elpiniki & Milliou, Chrysovalantou, 2018. "Vertical licensing, input pricing, and entry," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 66-96.
    15. Baldelli, Serena & Lambertini, Luca, 2006. "Price vs quantity in a duopoly supergame with Nash punishments," Research in Economics, Elsevier, vol. 60(3), pages 121-130, September.
    16. Evangelos Mitrokostas & Emmanuel Petrakis, 2014. "Organizational structure, strategic delegation and innovation in oligopolistic industries," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 23(1), pages 1-24, January.
    17. Manipushpak Mitra & Rupayan Pal & Arindam Paul & P. M. Sharada, 2020. "Equilibrium Coexistence of Public and Private Firms and the Plausibility of Price Competition," Journal of Institutional and Theoretical Economics (JITE), Mohr Siebeck, Tübingen, vol. 176(2), pages 217-242.
    18. Øystein Foros & Hans Kind & Lars Sørgard, 2007. "Managerial incentives and access price regulation," European Journal of Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 23(2), pages 117-133, April.
    19. Fanti, Luciano & Gori, Luca & Mammana, Cristiana & Michetti, Elisabetta, 2014. "Local and global dynamics in a duopoly with price competition and market share delegation," Chaos, Solitons & Fractals, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 253-270.
    20. Anomita Ghosh & Rupayan Pal, 2014. "Strategic trade policy for network goods oligopolies," Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research, Mumbai Working Papers 2014-039, Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research, Mumbai, India.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Collusion; Delegation; Price competition; Vertical channel;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D2 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations
    • L2 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:kap:jeczfn:v:134:y:2021:i:2:d:10.1007_s00712-021-00741-z. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.