There are few industries in modern market economies that do not manufacture differentiated products. This book provides a systematic explanation and analysis of the widespread prevalence of this important category of products. The authors concentrate on models in which product selection is endogenous. In the first four chapters they consider models that try to predict the level of product differentiation that would emerge in situations of market equilibrium. These market equilibria with differentiated products are characterised and then compared with social welfare optima. Particular attention is paid to the distinction between horizontal and vertical differentiation as well as to the related issues of product quality and durability. This book brings together the most important theoretical contributions to these topics in a succinct and coherent manner. One of its major strengths is the way in which it carefully sets out the basic intuition behind the formal results. It will be useful to advanced undergraduate and graduate students taking courses in industrial economics and microeconomic theory.

We study how firms differ from their competitors using new dynamic measures of product differentiation based on novel text based analysis of 50,673 product descriptions from firm 10-K statements filed yearly with the Securities Exchange Commission. This year-by-year set of firm product differentiation measures allows us to generate a set of dynamic industry classifications and new measures of industry structure and competition. Competitiveness and market structure measures based on these new classifications better correlate with firm profitability than do classifications based on SIC or NAICs. Using these new dynamic industry classifications, we examine endogenous product differentiation. We show that firms use R & D and advertising to differentiate themselves from competitors and increase their profitability.

'This is a high-quality book on an important and central topic in the theory of industrial organisation. It is a cohesive and extremely well written volume which is destined to become a standard work on the subject.' - Mark Casson, University of Reading, UK This original new book offers a comprehensive and engaging perspective on the theory of vertical differentiation. It enables the reader to grasp the key concepts and effects that product quality has both on firms' behaviour and market structure, and the ways in which this relationship has evolved. With contributions from prominent figures in the field, the book investigates a number of important topics, such as the choice of the optimal product range, profit sharing, the existence of equilibrium in duopoly games, positional effects attached to status goods, international trade, collusion, advertising and the dynamics of capital accumulation for quality improvement and product innovation. Using both static and dynamic approaches, these aspects are assessed in relation to the manifold issues of regulation, competition policy and trade policy. Product differentiation and its influence on consumer behaviour and the performance of firms is a core topic in the existing literature in the fields of industrial organization, international trade and economic growth. This book will be an essential read for researchers, students and professional scholars working in these areas, especially those with an interest in antitrust regulation.

Beginning with 1978 ed. published under title: The economics of industrial structure, conduct, and performance. Includes bibliographies.