Estimating strategic price response in a product-differentiated oligopoly: The case of a domestic canned fruit industry

Abstract

In this article, we empirically estimate the strategic price response in a domestic canned fruit industry using national-level, weekly point-of-purchase scanner data. Augmented Dickey-Fuller tests are used to obtain univariate time series properties of Del Monte and Dole's canned pineapple prices. Johansen's likelihood ratio cointegration test is used to characterize the existence of an industry pricing equilibrium. Vector autoregression and vector error correction models are employed to examine the multivariate time series properties of the two firms' prices. Granger causality tests are used to address the price leadership hypothesis, while impulse response functions are constructed to chronicle the intertemporal price response to an innovation in a rival's price series. The battery of tests indicates that Del Monte follows Dole's pricing decisions in this narrowly defined product market. A thorough understanding of empirical price reactions has far-reaching strategic management implications, such as forecasting a rival's response and avoiding costly price wars. [L110, L200, L660] © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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