Product Location with Foresight

Traditional location literature concludes that firms will optimally differentiate in order to alleviate a tendency toward competitive pricing. However, it has recently been shown that firms will minimally differentiate if they (correctly) anticipate an absence of price competition. This paper examines the relationship between product location and the sustainability of cooperative pricing, in horizontally and vertically differentiated markets. Further, it describes equilibrium locations when firms are able to choose their locations jointly and when they must choose independently.     

Taking industry structuring seriously: A strategic perspective on product differentiation

Given legal impediments to consolidation and collusion, firms often resort to product differentiation to attain market power. This paper provides a formal analysis of product differentiation as a tool for such industry structuring at both the firm and industry level. We examine: how industry structure differs when firms collaborate on their differentiation decisions, and when the profitability of such collaboration is greatest; how an individual firm's differentiation decisions affect subsequent market outcomes under price competition, such as margin, market share, and profit; how mere differentiation differs from a ‘differentiation advantage’; and how changing a firm's differentiation affects its rivals through both positive externalities (by restraining rivalry) and negative externalities (by shifting competitive advantage). Our results have implications for empirical research, strategy theory, and pedagogy.     

Product location choice and firm capabilities: evidence from the U.S. automobile industry

We test theories of product differentiation and firm capabilities using data from the U.S. automobile industry. We find managers introduce new models close to their existing ones but far from rival models. We also find entrants and foreign manufacturers locate models closer to rival models. These results are consistent with both economic models of product differentiation and theories of firm capabilities Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A Dynamic Model of Advertising and Product Differentiation

This paper analyses a differential game of duopolisticrivalry through time where firms can use advertisingand price as competitive tools. Two cases are consideredwhereby: (1) advertising has the main effect ofincreasing market size and firms differ in productionefficiency; (2) advertising has both predatory and cooperativeeffects in a symmetric market. The former shows thatmarket shares and advertising shares are positivelycorrelated and that market size increases with thedifference in firms' relative efficiency. The latterhighlights the differences in the feedback andopen-loop strategies. It is shown that firms' advertisingare strategic complements and that profits are higherin the feedback equilibrium because firms advertise more.The applicability of the model in markets wherefranchise contracts and dealership agreements operateis also discussed.     

产品差异竞争:广告、品牌和服务

差异性使消费者对不同企业的产品有着不同的偏好,进而形成和维持顾客的忠实度,降低产品的可替代性.产品差异化是一种重要的竞争模式,形成、保持和发展差异化是需要成本支持的.本文重点讨论产品的显性差异,包括广告、品牌和服务,因为这些差异化可以在瞬间影响消费者的偏好和决策,从而将产品的差异程度"植入"消费者的意识系统中.     

对制定产品标准中一些问题的探讨

针对在制定产品标准中存在的一些问题,提出产品标准已不仅是作为组织生产的依据,企业不必为他人制定产品标准;行业在制定特定型号的产品标准时应该谨慎行事;产品标准中净含量的标注不能一概而论等四个论点.并就其进行了论述和探讨.     

Product competence exploitation and exploration strategies: The impact on new product performance through quality and innovativeness

The ability to manage existing assets and capabilities (exploitation) and the development of new capabilities (exploration) are arguably among the most relevant new product success factors. However, while exploitation-related capabilities are based on certainties regarding the efficiency of a company, exploration-related capabilities require the analysis of new technologies and processes. In existing literature, there is a gap concerning the trade-off between the exploitation and exploration of competences. Based on the theoretical background of Resource Based Theory, Dynamic Capabilities Theory and Discovery and Creation Theory, a model is proposed to analyze this gap. In this study, which examines 197 manufacturing organizations, we build on the dualities of the two types of competences and their impact on speed-to-market and market performance. The findings indicate that the choice between exploitation and exploration depends on the goals of new product development. While exploitation increases product objective quality, exploration enhances product innovativeness to the firm. Furthermore, we found that both exploitation and exploration constitute important success factors when it comes to launching new products. Finally, moderate effects of competitive intensity and market turbulence are also examined. High levels of market turbulence improve the results of exploitation, while low levels of competitiveness may encourage exploration.     

Product configurator impact on product quality

More and more firms today rely on product configurators to more efficiently and effectively meet increasingly diverse customers’ needs. In literature, however, the discussion of the performance outcomes of product configurator use is limited and largely based on anecdotal evidence. Our paper contributes to fill this gap by developing and empirically testing hypotheses about the relationship between product configurator use and product quality. We find empirical support for the hypotheses that product configurator use improves product quality and that this relationship is negatively moderated by the difficulty for a company to determine the needs of its target market. We conclude by discussing implications of our findings for both research and practice.     

On Stability in Competition: Tying and Horizontal Product Differentiation

We combine Hotelling’s model of product differentiation with tie-in sales. A monopolist in one market competes with another firm in a second market. In equilibrium firms choose zero product differentiation. Due to the tying structure no firm can gain the whole market by a small price reduction. A differentiation effect due to tie-in sales leads to this equilibrium stability.      

Vertical Product Differentiation, Entry-Deterrence Strategies, and Entry Qualities

We analyze the potential entry of a new product into a vertically differentiated market. Here the entry-deterrence strategies of the incumbent firm rely on “limit qualities.” The model assumes quality-dependent marginal production costs and considers sequential quality choices by an incumbent and an entrant. Entry-quality decisions and the entry-deterrence strategies are related to the fixed cost necessary for entry and to the degree of consumers’ taste for quality. We detail the conditions under which the incumbent increases its quality level to deter entry. Quality-dependent marginal production costs in the model entail the possibility of inferior-quality entry as well. Welfare is not necessarily improved when entry is encouraged rather than deterred.     

市场结构与横向产品差别化的相互关系分析

产品差别化对市场结构的形成有很大的作用,经典的豪特林模型只得出了产品差别最小化和最大化原则,由此模型得到的市场结构为完全竞争市场和寡头垄断市场,但垄断竞争市场却无法得到。文章在豪特林模型的基础上构造出统一框架,不但分析产品最大和最小差别情况,而且提出中间程度差别化的分析模型。得出所时应的三种市场结构。尤其是中间程度的差别化对应的垄断竞争市场。对这三种市场结构进行社会福利分析,得出在消费者不同质时,相对于完全竞争市场,垄断竞争市场是相对较好的选择。     

石化产品的结构优化模型

石化产品及主要原料－原油的价格变化速度较快，这就要求企业根据市场变化及时进行产品结构调整。结合一个具有代表性的石化企业实际，运用优化方法，以原油加工量、产品收率为主要指标进行石化产品结构优化，为企业生产决策提供可靠的依据。     

Product selection for newsboy-type products with normal demands and unequal costs

In this paper, we consider two newsboy-type products with unequal prices and costs. Both demands are independent and follow normal distributions with unknown parameters μ and σ. We study the product selection problem which deals with comparing two products and selecting the one that has a significantly higher profitability, in which the profitability is defined to the probability of achieving a target profit under the optimal ordering policy. The statistical hypothesis testing methodology is performed to tackle this selection problem. Critical value of the test is calculated to determine the selection decision. Sample size required for a designated power and confidence level is also investigated. An application example on comparing English-teaching magazines is presented to illustrate the practicality of our approach.     

论企业产品标准水平的认定

从加强石油内、外部企业产品标准的管理与监督,提高石油企业生产用产品质量水平的角度,论述了开展企业产品标准水平认定的必要性和重要性.针对石油行业内、外部企业产品标准的管理现状,提出了进行企业产品标准水平认定方法.     

Optimal pricing and order policies with B2B product returns for fashion products

We study optimal pricing and order policies in supply chain management of fashion products (e.g., a fashion apparel category) with consideration of product returns between supply chain partners (B2B). In order to study channel performance and optimal policies, two stochastic models for centralized channel and decentralized channel are, respectively, developed to handle new fashion and off-season product sales. In the centralized channel, closed-form solutions for optimal order and pricing decisions are proposed for new fashion products. Further, in a decentralized channel, the Stackelberg game model is proposed to derive the optimal Stackelberg equilibrium solution, and then a buy-back contract is designed to coordinate the channel. We also perform parameter analysis on performance of the two channel models. Numerical analysis is finally presented to validate our theoretical results and compare channel performances.     

Product profitability: Causes and effects

The aim of this study was to determine the extent and the reasons for variation in the profitability of a product. The underlying hypothesis was that all products are not profitable. Furthermore, it was assumed that activity-based costing (ABC) would indicate greater differences in the profitability of products than the previously used marginal costing system. The case study was conducted in a company in the metal industry that manufactures and assembles industrial goods. First, the activity chains were modeled and the activity-based costs were calculated. Second, the activity-based cost of the final products was compared with the selling prices to determine the profitability. The results show that the profitability varies significantly. The most profitable 20% of the products generate more than 150% of the profits and 50% of the net sales. Finally, the study identifies the characteristics of the most profitable products and discusses the reasons for the profitability.     

产品标准与产品质量监督的关系

从产品标准与产品质量监督目的和对象的共同性、产品标准是实施产品质量监督的技术依据、产品质量监督是产品标准贯彻实施的重要手段、产品质量监督是产品标准更新和修改的原动力之一，产品标准的更新发展促进了产品质量监督水平的提高等五个方面，论述了产品标准和产品质量监督之间的相互关系。指出，产品标准和产品质量监督是一种相互依存、相互促进的关系。     

Location choices under strategic interactions

We explore a fundamental aspect of firms' location choices largely overlooked in the literature: strategic interaction. We formalize the notion that strategic interaction renders collocation less appealing by fostering competition, which erodes firms' profits. Strategic interaction also impacts location choices across time. Specifically, because firms learn by doing in markets, location choices are shaped by two novel effects: entrenchment benefits from entering early in a market and improving capabilities relative to rivals, and opportunity costs from postponing entry to other markets where rivals enter and learn. When learning is local, firms collocate more: rivals are preempted from improving relative capabilities in higher‐value markets. However, when learning is global, firms collocate less: they can transfer capabilities from lower‐value to higher‐value markets, blocking rivals from achieving entrenchment benefits. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

品牌竞争力战略的全球化定位

本文分析了全球化条件下品牌竞争力发展的新趋势，以及我国品牌竞争力全球化矛盾的二元性，认为结症在于国家政策机制和企业战略机制的双重缺陷，继而初步提出我国品牌竞争力战略的的全球化定位：一是整合企业层面品牌竞争力实现其内涵式发展，二是整合产业，区域，国家层面品牌竞争力的实现其外延式发展。     

石油企业产品质量监督抽检办法探讨

指出了石油企业产品质量监督检验的抽检办法怀物资管理办法不适应，检验机构与被抽检单位都工作压力和动力等主要问题，提出了扩大监督抽检范围、前移监督抽检关口等改进产品质量监督检验办法的具体意见。