• Asia Marketing Journal
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.35-69
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• 2014

The impact of competition on pricing has been studied in the context of counterfactual merger analyses where expected optimal prices in a hypothetical monopoly are compared with observed prices in an oligopolistic market. Such analyses would typically assume static decision making by consumers and firms and thus have been applied mostly to data obtained from consumer packed goods such as cereal and soft drinks. However such static modeling approach is not suitable when decision makers are forward looking. When it comes to the markets for durable products with indirect network effects, consumer purchase decisions and firm pricing decisions are inherently dynamic as they take into account future states when making purchase and pricing decisions. Researchers need to take into account the dynamic aspects of decision making both in the consumer side and in the supplier side for such markets. Firms in a two-sided market typically subsidize one side of the market to exploit the indirect network effect. Such pricing behaviors would be more prevalent in competitive markets where firms would try to win over the battle for standard. While such qualitative expectation on the relationship between pricing behaviors and competitive structures could be easily formed, little empirical studies have measured the extent to which the distinct pricing structure in two-sided markets depends on the competitive structure of the market. This paper develops an empirical model to measure the impact of competition on optimal pricing of durable products under indirect network effects. In order to measure the impact of exogenously determined competition among firms on pricing, we compare the equilibrium prices in the observed oligopoly market to those in a hypothetical monopoly market. In computing the equilibrium prices, we account for the forward looking behaviors of consumers and supplier. We first estimate a demand function that accounts for consumers' forward-looking behaviors and indirect network effects. And then, for the supply side, the pricing equation is obtained as an outcome of the Markov Perfect Nash Equilibrium in pricing. In doing so, we utilize numerical dynamic programming techniques. We apply our model to a data set obtained from the U.S. video game console market. The video game console market is considered a prototypical case of two-sided markets in which the platform typically subsidizes one side of market to expand the installed base anticipating larger revenues in the other side of market resulting from the expanded installed base. The data consist of monthly observations of price, hardware unit sales and the number of compatible software titles for Sony PlayStation and Nintendo 64 from September 1996 to August 2002. Sony PlayStation was released to the market a year before Nintendo 64 was launched. We compute the expected equilibrium price path for Nintendo 64 and Playstation for both oligopoly and for monopoly. Our analysis reveals that the price level differs significantly between two competition structures. The merged monopoly is expected to set prices higher by 14.8% for Sony PlayStation and 21.8% for Nintendo 64 on average than the independent firms in an oligopoly would do. And such removal of competition would result in a reduction in consumer value by 43.1%. Higher prices are expected for the hypothetical monopoly because the merged firm does not need to engage in the battle for industry standard. This result is attributed to the distinct property of a two-sided market that competing firms tend to set low prices particularly at the initial period to attract consumers at the introductory stage and to reinforce their own networks and eventually finally to dominate the market.

• Journal of Technology Innovation
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.119-147
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• 2014

Technology competition is becoming a core element to get a competitive advantage in the market economy and its importance has been growing rapidly. Therefore, lots of studies on technology competition have been conducted and diversified. We focused on 'Sailing ship effect' which accelerates innovation in the old technology in response to the threat of the new technology. We found that previous studies had suggested the factors causing 'Sailing ship effect' from the viewpoint of either market or competitor. However, there are a lot of limitations to analyse the status and establish strategies. Hence, we hereby suggest a new technology competition analysis model considering market, technology and especially competitors at once by classifying the results of technology competition: 1) Replacement, 2) Status Quo, 3) Co-existence, and 4) Sailing ship effect. In this paper, we apply three cases to the suggested model in order to judge whether it is reasonable or not and confirm that it explains many cases related to 'exit delay' of a dominant technology. We expect this study will contribute to forecasting the results of technology competition and establish a response strategy if it enters into general use.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.90 no.3
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• pp.295-305
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• 2001

This study was conducted to reveal stand structure and competition status by site types of natural deciduous forest in Pyungchang, Kangwon-do. The study site was divided by nine different types based on elevation(higher than 1,000m, 700~1,000m. lower than 700m) and topography(ridge, slope, valley). The objective of this study is to provide a basic information necessary for the environment-friendly management methods of natural deciduous forest on the basis of the stand structure and competition status by site types. It is confirmed that the range from 700m to 1,000m in elevation was the most suitable for stand growth. Species diversity and richness index also tended to be increased as elevation decreased. The ridge was the best in terms of stand growth by topography and followed by slope and valley in order. In addition, as expected, species with high importance value showed relatively low evenness index. The distance-independent competition index was selected as the best competition index model in seven site types of natural deciduous forest. On the other hand, the distance-dependent competition index was highly correlated with periodic annual increment of diameter in both ridge at higher than 1,000m and valley of 700m to 1,000m in elevation. It is proved, as a result, that the best competition index model is somewhat different by site types. From the analysis growth characteristics and competition status by site types, it is identified that the species with high importance value performed well in both growth and competition. The growth of Q. mongolica was excellent in the areas of higher elevation than 700m. Although K. pilus had relatively low importance value in higher elevation than 1,000m and ridge of 700m to 1,000m, the species had stronger competition status rather than other species. Also, U. davidiana and M. amurensis were good in competition status at lower elevation than 1,000m. It is necessary, therefore, that appropriate tending practice should be adopted based on the growth pattern and competition status of each species distributed by site types.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.49-65
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• 2018

This paper illustrates the competition between the mobile pay and credit card systems by utilizing the theory of two-sided markets. Two firms, as platforms, maximize the profit collecting fees from consumers on one side and from retailers on the other side. Consumers pay to buy goods and services with mobile pay, credit card, or cash. The basic model is one that each platform maximizes its profit. We show that the fees for credit card holders and retailers are higher than the respective costs. The fee for retailers of the mobile payment is higher than its cost, while the buyer's fee may be higher or lower than its cost. Applied model is the one that employs the delegation game model. The total profit of the mobile pay system is composed of its profit and the weighted demand for the mobile pay. It is shown that buyers' fee under the applied model is lower than that under the basic model, resulting in an increase of the demand for the mobile pay. The fee for the retailers rises, albeit the sum of fees for the buyers and retailers falls. The profit for the mobile pay system is increased, while that for the credit card company stays the same.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.146-153
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• 2007

A mathematical competition model between normal flora and an invading pathogen was devised to allow analysis of bacterial infections in a host. The normal flora includes the various microorganisms that live on or within the host and act as a primary human immune system. Despite the important role of the normal flora, no mathematical study has been undertaken on models of the interaction between it and invading pathogens against a background of antibiotic treatment. To quantify key elements of bacterial behavior in a host, pairs of nonlinear differential equations were used to describe three categories of human health conditions, namely, healthy, latent infection, and active infection. In addition, a cutoff value was proposed to represent the minimum population level required for survival. The recovery of normal flora after antibiotic treatment was also included in the simulation because of its relation to human health recovery. The significance of each simulation parameter for the bacterial growth model was investigated. The devised simulation showed that bacterial proliferation rate, carrying capacity, initial population levels, and competition intensity have a significant effect on bacterial behavior. Consequently, a model was established to describe competition between normal flora and an infiltrating pathogen. Unlike other population models, the recovery process described by the devised model can describe the human health recovery mechanism.

• Korea Trade Review
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.151-176
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• 2023

This paper critically examines the role performance of local distributors within the Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) model, while also considering the moderating influence of market competition on the organism (O) and response (R) elements. Adopting a holistic approach, the SOR model provides a comprehensive framework for analyzing how external stimuli, including distributive, procedural, and interaction unfairness, interact with internal psychological processes, such as perceived unfairness, to shape the long-term orientation of importing agents. Moreover, this study acknowledges the pivotal role of market competition in the operational context of local distributors. It posits that competitive market dynamics play a crucial role in intensifying the relationship between behavioral factors and the long-term orientation of distributors, thereby revealing contingent effects within the SOR model. Through the exploration of these dynamics, this study contributes to a comprehensive understanding of the interplay among external stimuli, internal psychological processes, and market competition within the SOR framework, advancing our knowledge in this field.

• Telecommunications review
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.605-621
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• 2015

The diffusion of smart devices has greatly influenced the market dynamics of the telecommunications industry. The competition paradigm has shifted from individual firm-based competition to ecosystem-based competition. To satisfy the diverse needs of market customers, it has become more important for telecommunications companies to form alliances with complementary partners in the ecosystem. This study empirically investigates the influence of ecosystem-based alliance formations on the financial performance of firms in the Korean telecommunications market. Specifically, the impact of a CPND (Content, Platforms, Networks, and Devices) alliance in the ICT (Information and Communications Technology) sector on firms' profitability is examined using a structural equation model. The results indicate that before the diffusion of smart devices, ecosystem-based alliance formations with other firms in the ICT ecosystem were not effective for enhancing profitability. However, after this diffusion, alliance formation between members of the value chain in the ICT ecosystem contributed significantly to firms' financial performance. This implies that recent alliances with firms that are constituents of the ICT ecosystem are an important element of profit generation in the ICT market in Korea.

• Korean Management Science Review
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.49-60
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• 2000

The proliferation of electronic commerce(EC) has led manufactureres to consider Internet based marketing as a salient candidate for strategic diversification of marketing channel. In this case, each manufacturer can build its own Web store or rent an existing special EC store. Such decision making of ‘build’ or ‘rent’ can be analyzed by a game model which derives the Nash solutions for price and profit considering degree of competition with other competitive manufacturers. In this paper, to overcome the drawbacks of the traditional linear demand function, we first propose a new linear demand function which incorporates not only the price difference between competitive products but the awareness of Web stores perceived by the consumers, then design the game models to analyze the characteristics of three typical types of marketing channel in duopoly market. Based on the Nash solutions of the game models, we analyzed the effect of the degree of competition and Web awareness in selecting the optimal marketing channel.

• Korean System Dynamics Review
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.73-97
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• 2004

This paper explores the relationship between technological characteristics within process innovation and selection of the firms of different organizational forms in the evolution of an industry. For this purpose, this paper develops a simulation model for industrial change that replicates dynamic competition for process innovation. The simulation analysis found the following causal relationship. First, the stronger innovation impact in terms of productivity jump tends to enlarge the productivity difference among the incumbent firms and increase the speed of productivity catch-up by the large diversified firms, Second, the possibility of entry, and eventual dominance by the large diversified firms increase when the innovation-productivity linkage is stronger and there is less cumulativeness in productivity determination. These results imply that technological characteristics are important factors that have influence on whether or not the large diversified firms can enter and succeed in an industry.

• East Asian Economic Review
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.3-35
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• 2016

This paper analyses the new discipline on state-owned enterprises contained in the recently concluded Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement, and evaluates various factors that influenced the shaping of its specific rules. The new discipline consolidates and strengthens related provisions in current trade regimes, reflects various aspects of trade disputes between China and the US, and adopts, as its general underlying rationale, the principle of competitive neutrality. The new discipline contains elements that may challenge the multilateral trade regime, and may serve as a role model in regulating state-owned enterprises, including subsidies in services trade in other on-going trade negotiations. The new regime makes us think hard about fundamental issues regarding enforcement of competition policy against state-owned enterprises, treatment of non-market economies, and how to deal with effects of subsidies in international trade, bringing competition issues back on the trade agenda.