Intermediate Inputs and External Economies

Is the degree of external economies (at the industry level) higher than the degree of internal increasing returns (at the firm level)? If so, what is the exact source of this difference? In the general equilibrium model in which firms producing final goods choose the degree of specialization of thei...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inFrontiers of economics in China Vol. 9; no. 2; pp. 216 - 239
Main Author Zhou, Haiwen
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Netherlands Brill 01.01.2014
Higher Education Press
Higher Education Press Limited Company
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Summary:Is the degree of external economies (at the industry level) higher than the degree of internal increasing returns (at the firm level)? If so, what is the exact source of this difference? In the general equilibrium model in which firms producing final goods choose the degree of specialization of their technologies, external economies arise from the usage of intermediate inputs and the existence of internal increasing returns. It is frequently assumed that increasing returns are absent at the firm level while present at the industry level. In this model, the existence of increasing returns at the firm level is necessary for the existence of external economies at the industry level. We show that the degree of external economies increases with the level of linkage effects. However, a higher linkage effect does not always lead firms to choose more specialized technologies.
Bibliography:external economies, internal increasing returns, linkage effects, choice of technology, oligopolistic competition
11-5744/F
Is the degree of external economies (at the industry level) higher than the degree of internal increasing returns (at the firm level)? If so, what is the exact source of this difference? In the general equilibrium model in which firms producing final goods choose the degree of specialization of their technologies, external economies arise from the usage of intermediate inputs and the existence of internal increasing returns. It is frequently assumed that increasing returns are absent at the firm level while present at the industry level. In this model, the existence of increasing returns at the form level is necessary for the existence of external economies at the industry level. We show that the degree of external economies increases with the level of linkage effects. However, a higher linkage effect does not always lead firms to choose more specialized technologies.
linkage effects
external economies
internal increasing returns
choice of technology
oligopolistic competition
ISSN:1673-3444
1673-3568
DOI:10.3868/s060-003-014-0012-1