IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/nbr/nberwo/9450.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Regulation, Distribution Efficiency, and Retail Density

Author

Listed:
  • David Flath

Abstract

After outlining characteristics of Japan's distribution sector, a comprehensive international comparison of it to those of other nations is presented and analyzed for underlying differences. This leads to an explanation of Japan's retail store density, which is then related to the structure of wholesale channels. Next, some details on the Large Store Law of Japan and regulatory distortion, including empirical evidence on its extent are offered. Data on the structure of the retail sector by store format and on differences among prefectures in density and format are then presented.

Suggested Citation

  • David Flath, 2003. "Regulation, Distribution Efficiency, and Retail Density," NBER Working Papers 9450, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:9450
    Note: IO ITI
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.nber.org/papers/w9450.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. David Flath & Tatsuhiko Nariu, 2008. "The Complexity of Wholesale Distribution Channels in Japan," Japanese Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 35(2), pages 68-86.
    2. Takatoshi Ito & Masayoshi Maruyama, 1991. "Is the Japanese Distribution System Really Inefficient?," NBER Chapters, in: Trade with Japan: Has the Door Opened Wider?, pages 149-174, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. Flath, David, 1990. "Why are there so many retail stores in Japan?," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 2(4), pages 365-386, December.
    4. Flath, David, 1989. "Vertical restraints in Japan," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 1(2), pages 187-203, March.
    5. Geoffrey Heal, 1980. "Spatial Structure in the Retail Trade: A Study in Product Differentiation with Increasing Returns," Bell Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 11(2), pages 565-583, Autumn.
    6. Dirk Pilat, 1997. "Regulation and Performance in the Distribution Sector," OECD Economics Department Working Papers 180, OECD Publishing.
    7. Paul Krugman, 1991. "Trade with Japan: Has the Door Opened Wider?," NBER Books, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc, number krug91-1.
    8. Flath, David, 2014. "The Japanese Economy," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, edition 3, number 9780198702405.
    9. Gary S. Becker, 1983. "A Theory of Competition Among Pressure Groups for Political Influence," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 98(3), pages 371-400.
    10. JASKOLD GABSZEWICZ, Jean & THISSE, Jacques-François, 1986. "Spatial competition and the location of firms," LIDAM Reprints CORE 713, Université catholique de Louvain, Center for Operations Research and Econometrics (CORE).
    11. repec:cor:louvrp:-713 is not listed on IDEAS
    12. Flath, David & Nariu, Tatsuhiko, 1996. "Is Japan's Retail Sector Truly Distinctive?," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 23(2), pages 181-191, October.
    13. Milgrom, Paul & Roberts, John, 1995. "Complementarities and fit strategy, structure, and organizational change in manufacturing," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 19(2-3), pages 179-208, April.
    14. Olivier Boylaud & Giuseppe Nicoletti, 2003. "Regulatory reform in retail distribution," OECD Economic Studies, OECD Publishing, vol. 2001(1), pages 253-274.
    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. Viviano, Eliana, 2008. "Entry regulations and labour market outcomes: Evidence from the Italian retail trade sector," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 15(6), pages 1200-1222, December.
    2. Nezih Guner & Gustavo Ventura & Xu Yi, 2008. "Macroeconomic Implications of Size-Dependent Policies," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 11(4), pages 721-744, October.
    3. Fernando Borraz & Juan Dubra & Daniel Ferrés & Leandro Zipitría, 2009. "Supermarket Entry and its effect on small stores in Montevideo, 1998 to 2007," Documentos de trabajo 2009005, Banco Central del Uruguay.
    4. Mr. Hamid Faruqee, 2004. "Exchange Rate Pass-Through in the Euro Area: The Role of Asymmetric Pricing Behavior," IMF Working Papers 2004/014, International Monetary Fund.
    5. Guner, Nezih & Ventura, Gustavo & Yi, Xu, 2006. "How costly are restrictions on size?," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 18(3), pages 302-320, August.

    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. Kenn Ariga & Kenji Matsui, 2003. "Mismeasurement of the CPI," NBER Chapters, in: Structural Impediments to Growth in Japan, pages 89-154, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. René Hertog & Jeroen Potjes & A. Thurik, 1994. "Retail profit margins in Japan and Germany," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 130(2), pages 375-390, June.
    3. Senftleben-König, Charlotte, 2014. "Product market deregulation and employment outcomes: Evidence from the German retail sector," SFB 649 Discussion Papers 2014-013, Humboldt University Berlin, Collaborative Research Center 649: Economic Risk.
    4. Florin Maican & Matilda Orth, 2017. "Productivity Dynamics and the Role of ‘Big-Box’ Entrants in Retailing," Journal of Industrial Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 65(2), pages 397-438, June.
    5. David E. Weinstein, 1997. "Foreign Direct Investment and Keiretsu: Rethinking U.S. and Japanese Policy," NBER Chapters, in: The Effects of US Trade Protection and Promotion Policies, pages 81-116, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. Keiichiro HONDA & Toshiyuki MATSUURA & Takeshi MIZUTA, 2017. "Welfare Assessment of Entry of New Retail Formats and Deregulation for Restriction on Large Retail Scale Stores in Japan," Economic Analysis, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), vol. 194, pages 45-64, May.
    7. Takatoshi Ito & Masayoshi Maruyama, 1991. "Is the Japanese Distribution System Really Inefficient?," NBER Chapters, in: Trade with Japan: Has the Door Opened Wider?, pages 149-174, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    8. Maican, Florin & Orth, Matilda, 2015. "A dynamic analysis of entry regulations and productivity in retail trade," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 67-80.
    9. Research and Statistics Department, 2018. "Compilation Method of the gWholesale Services Price Index hin Japan @ @ @ @," Bank of Japan Research Papers 18-06-29, Bank of Japan.
    10. Senftleben-König, Charlotte, 2014. "Product Market Deregulation and Employment Outcomes: Evidence from the German Retail Sector," VfS Annual Conference 2014 (Hamburg): Evidence-based Economic Policy 100539, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    11. Hideki Yamawaki, 2004. "Who Survives in Japan? An Empirical Analysis of European and U.S. Multinational Firms in Japanese Manufacturing Industries," Journal of Industry, Competition and Trade, Springer, vol. 4(2), pages 135-153, June.
    12. repec:hum:wpaper:sfb649dp2014-013 is not listed on IDEAS
    13. Youngmin BAEK & HAYAKAWA Kazunobu & TSUBOTA Kenmei & URATA Shujiro & YAMANOUCHI Kenta, 2019. "Tariff Pass-through in Wholesaling: Evidence from Firm-level Data in Japan," Discussion papers 19064, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    14. Yoshiro Miwa & J. Mark Ramseyer, 2001. "Directed Credit? Capital Market Competition in High-Growth Japan," CIRJE F-Series CIRJE-F-132, CIRJE, Faculty of Economics, University of Tokyo.
    15. van Lent, L.A.G.M., 1999. "Incomplete contracting theory in empirical accounting research," Other publications TiSEM 088f797d-9fa4-4081-98f4-1, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    16. Takatoshi Ito, 1993. "U.S. Political Pressure and Economic Liberalization in East Asia," NBER Chapters, in: Regionalism and Rivalry: Japan and the United States in Pacific Asia, pages 391-422, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    17. Maican, Florin & Orth, ´Matilda, 2013. "Entry Regulations, Product Differentiation and Determinants of Market Structure," Working Paper Series 984, Research Institute of Industrial Economics.
    18. Kenji Matsui & Shuanghong Lu & Tatsuhiko Nariu & Tadashi Yukimoto, 2005. "Marketing Channels and Retail Store Density in East Asia," Asian Economic Journal, East Asian Economic Association, vol. 19(4), pages 407-422, December.
    19. Terutomo Ozawa, 2001. "The "Hidden" Side of the "Flying-Geese" Model of Catch-Up Growth: Japan's Dirigiste Institutional Setup and a Deepening Financial Morass," Economics Study Area Working Papers 20, East-West Center, Economics Study Area.
    20. Michael E. Porter & Mariko Sakakibara, 2004. "Competition in Japan," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 18(1), pages 27-50, Winter.
    21. Persson, Torsten & Tabellini, Guido, 2002. "Political economics and public finance," Handbook of Public Economics, in: A. J. Auerbach & M. Feldstein (ed.), Handbook of Public Economics, edition 1, volume 3, chapter 24, pages 1549-1659, Elsevier.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • L50 - Industrial Organization - - Regulation and Industrial Policy - - - General
    • L81 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Retail and Wholesale Trade; e-Commerce

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    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:nbr:nberwo:9450. 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: the person in charge (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/nberrus.html .

    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.