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Power Inside the Firm and the Market: A General Equilibrium Approach

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  • Marin, Dalia
  • Verdier, Thierry

Abstract

Recent years have witnessed an enormous amount of reorganization of the corporate sector in the US and in Europe. This paper examines the role of market competition for this trend in corporate reorganization. We find that at intermediate levels of competition the CEO of the corporation decides to have less power inside the firm and to delegate control to lower levels of the firms’ hierarchy. Thus, workers empowerment and the move to flatter firm organizations emerge as an equilibrium when competition is not too tough and not too weak. The model predicts merger waves or waves of outsourcing when countries become more integrated into the world economy as the corporate sector reorganizes in response to an increase in international competition.

Suggested Citation

  • Marin, Dalia & Verdier, Thierry, 2006. "Power Inside the Firm and the Market: A General Equilibrium Approach," Discussion Paper Series of SFB/TR 15 Governance and the Efficiency of Economic Systems 109, Free University of Berlin, Humboldt University of Berlin, University of Bonn, University of Mannheim, University of Munich.
    • Handle: RePEc:trf:wpaper:109
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    monopolistic competition; international trade; corporate reorganisation; flattening firm hierarchies;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F12 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Models of Trade with Imperfect Competition and Scale Economies; Fragmentation
    • D23 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Organizational Behavior; Transaction Costs; Property Rights
    • L22 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Organization and Market Structure
    • L1 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance

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