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Entry and mergers in oligopoly with firm-specific network effects

Author

Listed:
  • Adriana Gama

    (El Colegio de México)

  • Rim Lahmandi-Ayed

    (University of Carthage)

  • Ana Elisa Pereira

    (Universidad de los Andes)

Abstract

This paper investigates the effects of exogenous entry on market performance, and the profitability and welfare effects of horizontal mergers in symmetric Cournot oligopolies with firm-specific network effects. With strategic substitutes in the Cournot part of the model, per-firm output is declining in the number of firms, but industry output, price, per-firm profit, consumer surplus and social welfare may go either way in response to entry. We identify respective sufficient conditions for each possibility. The counter-intuitive conclusions tend to require strong network effects. We study the scope for profitability of mergers and the associated welfare effects. In a general analysis, we provide a sufficient condition on inverse demand for a merger to be profitable, which amounts to requiring strong network effects. Under the condition that leads to higher industry output with entry, mergers are always social welfare-enhancing.

Suggested Citation

  • Adriana Gama & Rim Lahmandi-Ayed & Ana Elisa Pereira, 2020. "Entry and mergers in oligopoly with firm-specific network effects," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 70(4), pages 1139-1164, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:joecth:v:70:y:2020:i:4:d:10.1007_s00199-020-01316-7
    DOI: 10.1007/s00199-020-01316-7
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    Cited by:

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    2. Adriana Gama & Mario Samano, 2021. "Free and second‐best entry in oligopolies with network effects," Journal of Public Economic Theory, Association for Public Economic Theory, vol. 23(4), pages 746-759, August.
    3. Luis Gautier & Mahelet G. Fikru, 2024. "Welfare Impact of New Firm Acquisition," Natural Resource Management and Policy, in: Handbook of Merger Control and Environmental Policy, chapter 0, pages 105-132, Springer.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Network effects; Network industries; Demand-side economies of scale; Incompatibility; Mergers;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C72 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - Noncooperative Games
    • D43 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - Oligopoly and Other Forms of Market Imperfection
    • L13 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Oligopoly and Other Imperfect Markets
    • L14 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Transactional Relationships; Contracts and Reputation

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