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Testing for Persistence of Profits' Differences Across Firms

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  • John Cable
  • Dennis Mueller

Abstract

We review the logic and implications underlying both static and dynamic models of competition, and associated tests of competitive effectiveness. Complications arising due to innovation, mergers and cyclical factors are discussed. Points raised in the theoretical discussion are illustrated with case histories and estimates for a number of US and UK companies. The empirical analysis tests a larger set of models than has been used in most previous work, and uses longer time series of company profits. We conclude that the patterns of profits observed in both countries are consistent with a larger and more complicated set of models of the competitive process than has been assumed until now, and that further work remains to be done in clarifying both why some firms are persistently profitable, and the nature of the 'shocks' that appear to produce structural breaks in the time series of companies' profits.

Suggested Citation

  • John Cable & Dennis Mueller, 2008. "Testing for Persistence of Profits' Differences Across Firms," International Journal of the Economics of Business, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 15(2), pages 201-228.
  • Handle: RePEc:taf:ijecbs:v:15:y:2008:i:2:p:201-228
    DOI: 10.1080/13571510802134353
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Bronwyn H. Hall & Jacques Mairesse & Benoit Mulkay, 1998. "Does cash flow cause investment and R&D: an exploration using panel data for French, Japanes and United States scientific firms," IFS Working Papers W98/11, Institute for Fiscal Studies.
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    Cited by:

    1. Philipp Mundt & Simone Alfarano & Mishael Milakovic, 2016. "Gibrat’s Law Redux: think profitability instead of growth," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 25(4), pages 549-571.
    2. Liu, Li & Liu, Qigui & Tian, Gary & Wang, Peipei, 2018. "Government connections and the persistence of profitability: Evidence from Chinese listed firms," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 110-129.
    3. Johan E. Eklund & Emma Lappi, 2019. "Persistence of profits in the EU: how competitive are EU member countries?," Empirica, Springer;Austrian Institute for Economic Research;Austrian Economic Association, vol. 46(2), pages 327-351, May.
    4. Dominic Chai & Simon Deakin & Prabirjit Sarkar & Ajit Singh, 2014. "Corporate Governance, Legal Origin & the Persistence of Profits," Working Papers wp465, Centre for Business Research, University of Cambridge.
    5. Stefan Hirsch & Monika Hartmann, 2014. "Persistence of firm-level profitability in the European dairy processing industry," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 45(S1), pages 53-63, November.
    6. Peneder, Michael & Rammer, Christian (ed.), 2018. "Measuring Competitiveness," ZEW Expertises, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research, number 181906.
    7. Laroche, Florent & Sys, Christa & Vanelslander, Thierry & Van de Voorde, Eddy, 2017. "Imperfect competition in a network industry: The case of the European rail freight market," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 53-61.
    8. Alfarano, Simone & Milaković, Mishael & Irle, Albrecht & Kauschke, Jonas, 2012. "A statistical equilibrium model of competitive firms," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 36(1), pages 136-149.
    9. Michael Peneder & Christian Rammer, 2018. "Measuring Competitiveness," WIFO Studies, WIFO, number 60838.
    10. Harry Bloch & Yixiao Zhou, 2024. "International Differences in Profitability," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 100(328), pages 101-116, March.
    11. Mahmoud M. Nourayi & Julie W. Suh, 2015. "An Empirical Analysis of the Competitiveness in the U.S. Airline Industry," Review of Economics & Finance, Better Advances Press, Canada, vol. 5, pages 83-99, August.
    12. Christa Sys, 2013. "Persistence of profits in the container liner shipping industry," Chapters, in: Thomas Vanoutrive & Ann Verhetsel (ed.), Smart Transport Networks, chapter 6, pages 99-125, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    13. Randall Morck & Bernard Yeung, 2010. "Agency Problems and the Fate of Capitalism," NBER Working Papers 16490, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    14. Burkhard Raunig & Michael Sigmund, 2023. "Watching over 21,000 Billion Euros: Does the ECB Single Supervisory Mechanism Affect Bank Competition in the Euro Area? (Burkhard Raunig, Michael Sigmund)," Working Papers 250, Oesterreichische Nationalbank (Austrian Central Bank).
    15. Stefan Hirsch, 2018. "Successful In The Long Run: A Meta†Regression Analysis Of Persistent Firm Profits," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(1), pages 23-49, February.
    16. Lanter, David & Hirsch, Stefan & Finger, Robert, 2018. "Profitability and Competition in EU Food Retailing," 2018 Annual Meeting, August 5-7, Washington, D.C. 274202, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    17. Sara Fernández‐López & David Rodeiro‐Pazos & Lucía Rey‐Ares, 2020. "Effects of working capital management on firms' profitability: evidence from cheese‐producing companies," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 36(4), pages 770-791, October.
    18. Stefan Hirsch & Jan Schiefer, 2016. "What Causes Firm Profitability Variation in the EU Food Industry? A Redux of Classical Approaches of Variance Decomposition," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(1), pages 79-92, January.

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