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Qu’en est-il des rendements d’échelle dans les industries québécoises et ontariennes de transport par camion?

Author

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  • Gagné, Robert

    (Département de sciences économiques, Université de Montréal)

  • Dionne, Georges

    (Département de sciences économiques, Université de Montréal)

Abstract

Discussions on the effects of the recent deregulation of Québec trucking industry are not unanimous. Some argue that deregulation will reduce competition because there are potential scale economies while others argue that the industry is characterized by constant returns to scale. In this paper we present an econometric analysis of cost functions of trucking firms in Québec and Ontario. Although it is difficult to obtain general conclusions since the technology is non-homothetic, our preliminary results show that large firms produce at constant returns to scale. The anticipated cut-throat competition might not happen since large firms have nothing to gain (in term of costs) from this type of competition. However, our results show that large firms have lower average costs than the average firm, which should introduce short term adjustments in the industry such as a reduction in trucking rates. Les discussions concernant les effets de la déréglementation récente de l’industrie québécoise du transport par camion sont loin de faire l’unanimité. Certains maintiennent qu’une déréglementation amènera une plus grande concentration de l’industrie étant donné qu’il y a des économies d’échelle potentielles alors que les tenants de la déréglementation soutiennent que l’industrie est caractérisée par des rendements constants. Dans cet article, nous présentons une étude économétrique des fonctions de coûts des entreprises québécoises et ontariennes de transport par camion. Bien qu’il soit difficile d’obtenir des résultats globaux à cause du caractère non-homothétique de la technologie, nos résultats préliminaires indiquent que les firmes de grande taille opèrent à rendements constants. La concurrence coupe-gorge anticipée par certains pourrait ne pas avoir lieu puisque les grandes entreprises n’ont pas avantage (en terme de coûts) à se livrer à ce type de concurrence. Par contre, nos résultats montrent que les grandes firmes ont des coûts moyens inférieurs à ceux de la firme moyenne, ce qui devrait entraîner des ajustements de court terme, dont une diminution des tarifs.

Suggested Citation

  • Gagné, Robert & Dionne, Georges, 1988. "Qu’en est-il des rendements d’échelle dans les industries québécoises et ontariennes de transport par camion?," L'Actualité Economique, Société Canadienne de Science Economique, vol. 64(3), pages 380-395, septembre.
    • Handle: RePEc:ris:actuec:v:64:y:1988:i:3:p:380-395
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. BARTEN, Anton P., 1969. "Maximum likelihood estimation of a complete system of demand equations," LIDAM Reprints CORE 34, Université catholique de Louvain, Center for Operations Research and Econometrics (CORE).
    2. Barten, A. P., 1969. "Maximum likelihood estimation of a complete system of demand equations," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 1(1), pages 7-73.
    3. Diewert, Walter E & Wales, Terence J, 1987. "Flexible Functional Forms and Global Curvature Conditions," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 55(1), pages 43-68, January.
    4. Richard H. Spady & Ann F. Friedlaender, 1978. "Hedonic Cost Functions for the Regulated Trucking Industry," Bell Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 9(1), pages 159-179, Spring.
    5. Kim, Moshe, 1984. "The Beneficiaries of Trucking Regulation, Revisited," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 27(1), pages 227-241, April.
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    1. Dionne, Georges & Gagné, Robert, 1993. "Rendements d’échelle, progrès technique et croissance de la productivité dans les industries québécoise et ontarienne de transport par camion, 1981-1988," L'Actualité Economique, Société Canadienne de Science Economique, vol. 69(3), pages 139-159, septembre.
    2. Vermot-Desroches, Bernard, 1993. "L’économie des transports, un champ novateur, intégrateur et ambitieux," L'Actualité Economique, Société Canadienne de Science Economique, vol. 69(3), pages 213-225, septembre.
    3. Bigras, Yvon, 1993. "La déréglementation de l’industrie du camionnage au Québec : de la théorie à la réalité," L'Actualité Economique, Société Canadienne de Science Economique, vol. 69(3), pages 123-138, septembre.

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