Subsidies, entry and the distribution of R&D investment

B-Tier
Journal: International Journal of Industrial Organization
Year: 2010
Volume: 28
Issue: 3
Pages: 254-270

Score contribution per author:

1.005 = (α=2.01 / 2 authors) × 1.0x B-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

We analyze the link between entry and R&D spending distribution. We consider a monopolistic competitive market with free entry in which firms can invest in cost-cutting R&D by paying a fixed cost first. For an intermediate level of fixed cost, there is a unique equilibrium in which the market segments into investing and non-investing firms. We show that the measure of R&D investing firms decreases as entry occurs. Using this result, we show how alternative government policies affect the R&D spending distribution. In particular, we characterize the cases in which incentives to promote R&D spending can result in exit. We show that while subsidy to entry may be welfare neutral from the consumers' point of view, R&D subsidies, despite promoting exit sometimes, are always welfare improving. Data motivating these results are drawn from the Taiwanese and Korean semiconductor industries.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:eee:indorg:v:28:y:2010:i:3:p:254-270
Journal Field
Industrial Organization
Author Count
2
Added to Database
2026-01-24