STRATEGIC PROFIT SHARING BETWEEN FIRMS: THE BERTRAND MODEL

The present paper first considers two firms in a homogeneous market competing in a two-stage game. Using a particular strategy, it shows that firms may be able to set prices above the marginal costs and thus get positive profits. This remarkable result is robust to the number of firms and to cost asymmetries. Furthermore and more importantly, when firms' costs are different, firms obtain positive profits even though they set prices at the highest marginal cost.

Strategic profit sharing between firms: a primer.

This paper builds a theory of profit sharing between two firms in a duopoly market through which firms seek to increase their profits and, in turn, to limit the competition. We use a general model to show the direct (negative) and indirect (positive) effects of this strategy. We then focus on some oligopolistic models to analyze more deeply and more precisely these two opposite effects in search of the dominant one. We thus show that giving away profits is a rewarding strategy for firms in some (but not all) models of oligopolistic competition.

Strategic profit sharing between firms: an apllication to joint ventures.

Our companion article developed a clear conceptual framework of profit sharing between two rival firms and studied the effects of this strategy on each firm's profit under the assumption that each firm decides unilaterally to give away voluntarily a part of its profit to its rival. This article relaxes totally this assumption and allows firms to invest rather a fraction of their profits in a joint venture. As in the previous article, it shows how and when forming a joint venture may be a successful strategy. Furthermore and more importantly, it brings to light that joint venture may be used to conceal the profit-sharing (maybe forbidden) strategy.

STRATEGIC PROFIT SHARING BETWEEN FIRMS: A PRIMER

This paper builds a theory of profit sharing between two firms in a duopoly market through which firms seek to increase their profits and, in turn, to limit the competition. We use a general model to show the direct (negative) and indirect (positive) effects of this strategy. We then focus on some oligopolistic models to analyze more deeply and more precisely these two opposite effects in search of the dominant one. We thus show that giving away profits is a rewarding strategy for firms in some (but not all) models of oligopolistic competition.

STRATEGIC PROFIT SHARING BETWEEN FIRMS: A WIN-WIN STRATEGY

Our companion article developed a clear conceptual framework of profit sharing between two rival firms and studied the positive effects of this strategy on each firm's profit under the assumption that each firm decides unilaterally to give away voluntarily a part of its profit to its rival. This article relaxes partially this assumption by letting only one firm to share its profit whereas the other firm keeps its entire profit. Contrary to the previous article, we show that no firm wins by adopting such an opportunistic behavior. This suggests that profit sharing between firms is a win-win (dominant) strategy if both firms are involved and compete in prices.

Jargon alert : Marginal

Economics

Strategic profit sharing between firms: the bertrand model.

The present paper first considers two firms in a homogeneous market competing in a two-stage game. Using a particular strategy, it shows that firms may be able to set prices above the marginal costs and thus get positive profits. This remarkable result is robust to the number of firms and to cost asymmetries. Furthermore and more importantly, when firms' costs are different, firms obtain positive profits even though they set prices at the highest marginal cost.

Strategic profit sharing between firms: a win-win strategy.

Our companion article developed a clear conceptual framework of profit sharing between two rival firms and studied the positive effects of this strategy on each firm's profit under the assumption that each firm decides unilaterally to give away voluntarily a part of its profit to its rival. This article relaxes partially this assumption by letting only one firm to share its profit whereas the other firm keeps its entire profit. Contrary to the previous article, we show that no firm wins by adopting such an opportunistic behavior. This suggests that profit sharing between firms is a win-win (dominant) strategy if both firms are involved and compete in prices.

STRATEGIC PROFIT SHARING BETWEEN FIRMS: AN APLLICATION TO JOINT VENTURES

Our companion article developed a clear conceptual framework of profit sharing between two rival firms and studied the effects of this strategy on each firm's profit under the assumption that each firm decides unilaterally to give away voluntarily a part of its profit to its rival. This article relaxes totally this assumption and allows firms to invest rather a fraction of their profits in a joint venture. As in the previous article, it shows how and when forming a joint venture may be a successful strategy. Furthermore and more importantly, it brings to light that joint venture may be used to conceal the profit-sharing (maybe forbidden) strategy.

Implications of some alternatives to capital income taxation

Taxation