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Chapter 1: Downstream Competition and the Effects of Buyer Power The first chapter examines the interaction between buyer power and competition intensity in the downstream market in affecting consumer and total welfare. We study a model where oligopolistic retailers compete in quantity in the downstream market and one of them is a large retailer that has its own exclusive supplier. Negotiation between this retailer and its supplier is modeled as a generalized Nash bargaining game. We demonstrate that an increase in the buyer power of the large retailer against its supplier leads to a fall in retail price and consequently an improvement in consumer surplus and this is true even in the extreme case where the downstream market is served by a monopoly. More interestingly, we find that the effects of buyer power are large when the intensity of downstream competition is low, with the effects being the largest in the case of downstream monopoly. This suggests that buyer power and downstream competition are substitutes. Chapter 2: Subsidy, Product Diversity and Buyer Power The objective of the second chapter is to analyze the effectiveness of government subsidies in promoting product diversity when the downstream firm (a retailer) has buyer power. We extend the standard Dixit-Stiglitz model of monopolistic competition and compare the effects of subsidies on equilibrium number of product varieties and social welfare in the case where products are sold directly to consumers and the case where they are sold through a monopoly retailer with buyer power. Two types of subsidies are considered, a subsidy on marginal cost and a subsidy on fixed cost. We find that while the two types of subsides have different effects on the quantity and retail price of each variety, they both raise the number of product varieties and the social welfare. Moreover, a combination of the two types of subsidies is able to achieve the social optimum. These results are true even when products are distributed through a downstream monopoly retailer who has all the bargaining power, but the mechanism through which a subsidy increases product varieties is different. In comparison with the case where products are distributed directly to consumers, retailer buyer power reduces product variety and social welfare. Furthermore subsidies become less effective in the presence of buyer power. To be more specific, retailer buyer power has both a level effect and a marginal effect on product diversity. At any given subsidy rate, the equilibrium number of varieties is smaller and a marginal increase in subsidy leads to a smaller increase in the number of varieties. Chapter 3: Subsidy on Complementary Products in a Model of Monopolistic Competition The third chapter seeks to re-examine the market provision of product diversity under monopolistic competition and the effects of an infinitesimal subsidy on product variety and social welfare in the case of complementary products. This examination builds on the standard Dixit-Stiglitz model of monopolistic competition but assumes an alternative demand linkage. The results show that, different from the case of substitutable products, demand complementarity leads to multiple equilibriums and the number of product varieties could be higher or lower than the constrained optimum depending on the level of the fixed cost of production. When the fixed costs are small, the market yields too many products and an infinitesimal subsidy exacerbates the problem leading to an over-supply of product varieties. On the other hand, when the fixed costs are large, there are too few products and in some cases the complementary goods industry becomes non-existent. A subsidy that induces a switch of equilibriums enhances product variety and improves social welfare.

[pt] A variedade de produtos tem recebido grande atenção por parte da indústria e da academia, onde a determinação do número a ser ofertado para o cliente final representa uma decisão importante para as estratégias de negócios das empresas. Existe uma clara tendência na proliferação desta variedade, contudo, os impactos gerados por este aumento induzem as empresas a buscar diferentes formas de gerila, tanto do lado do suprimento quanto da demanda. Apesar da existência de estudos importantes sobre o tema, a literatura acadêmica revela a ausência de uma pesquisa que sumarize o estado da arte sobre a Gestão da Variedade de Produtos (GVP). Como resultado disto, esta pesquisa tem como objetivo, por meio da revisão sistemática da literatura, elaborar a análise do conteúdo sobre GVP, usando como base publicações entre os anos de 2005 e 2009 presentes em uma base de dados eletrônica específica (Elsevier). A revisão é guiada por um modelo conceitual (framework) proposto que inclui os inputs para uma GVP, ou seja, as diversas pressões internas e externas às empresas para aumentar ou reduzir a variedade de produtos ofertada, os diferentes meios para lidar com estas diferentes pressões (estrutura e processamento) e os outputs, resultados que são esperados com uma boa gestão. O framework contempla também uma quarta dimensão que incorpora o contexto no qual os artigos desenvolveram as suas pesquisas. Os resultados sugerem que o framework proposto é capaz de contemplar os principais tópicos relacionados à Gestão da Variedade de Produtos, auxiliando no desenvolvimento da revisão sistemática, identificando os assuntos amplamente tratados e as lacunas que merecem atenção especial por parte da academia para pesquisas futuras. / [en] Product variety has received great attention from industry and academia, where the determination of the number to be offered to the final customer is an important decision for the business strategies of companies. There is a clear trend in the proliferation of this variety, however, the impacts generated by this increase are prompting companies to seek different ways to manage it, on both supply and demand. Despite the existence of important studies on the subject, the academic literature reveals the absence of a survey that summarizes the state of the art on the Product Variety Management (PVM). As a result, this research aims, through a systematic review, to develop a content analysis on GVP, using publications between the years 2005 and 2009 presented in a specific electronic database (Elsevier). The review is guided by a conceptual model (framework) proposed that includes inputs for a PVM, i.e., the various internal and external pressures for companies to increase or reduce the product variety offered, the different ways to handle these different pressures (structure and process) and outputs, outcomes that are expected with a good management. The framework also includes a fourth dimension that incorporates the context in which the articles developed their research. The results suggest that the proposed framework is able to address major topics related to Product Variety Management, assisting in the development of systematic reviews, identifying the issues broadly addressed and the gaps that deserve special attention by the academy for future research.

Chapter 1: Downstream Competition and the Effects of Buyer Power The first chapter examines the interaction between buyer power and competition intensity in the downstream market in affecting consumer and total welfare. We study a model where oligopolistic retailers compete in quantity in the downstream market and one of them is a large retailer that has its own exclusive supplier. Negotiation between this retailer and its supplier is modeled as a generalized Nash bargaining game. We demonstrate that an increase in the buyer power of the large retailer against its supplier leads to a fall in retail price and consequently an improvement in consumer surplus and this is true even in the extreme case where the downstream market is served by a monopoly. More interestingly, we find that the effects of buyer power are large when the intensity of downstream competition is low, with the effects being the largest in the case of downstream monopoly. This suggests that buyer power and downstream competition are substitutes. Chapter 2: Subsidy, Product Diversity and Buyer Power The objective of the second chapter is to analyze the effectiveness of government subsidies in promoting product diversity when the downstream firm (a retailer) has buyer power. We extend the standard Dixit-Stiglitz model of monopolistic competition and compare the effects of subsidies on equilibrium number of product varieties and social welfare in the case where products are sold directly to consumers and the case where they are sold through a monopoly retailer with buyer power. Two types of subsidies are considered, a subsidy on marginal cost and a subsidy on fixed cost. We find that while the two types of subsides have different effects on the quantity and retail price of each variety, they both raise the number of product varieties and the social welfare. Moreover, a combination of the two types of subsidies is able to achieve the social optimum. These results are true even when products are distributed through a downstream monopoly retailer who has all the bargaining power, but the mechanism through which a subsidy increases product varieties is different. In comparison with the case where products are distributed directly to consumers, retailer buyer power reduces product variety and social welfare. Furthermore subsidies become less effective in the presence of buyer power. To be more specific, retailer buyer power has both a level effect and a marginal effect on product diversity. At any given subsidy rate, the equilibrium number of varieties is smaller and a marginal increase in subsidy leads to a smaller increase in the number of varieties. Chapter 3: Subsidy on Complementary Products in a Model of Monopolistic Competition The third chapter seeks to re-examine the market provision of product diversity under monopolistic competition and the effects of an infinitesimal subsidy on product variety and social welfare in the case of complementary products. This examination builds on the standard Dixit-Stiglitz model of monopolistic competition but assumes an alternative demand linkage. The results show that, different from the case of substitutable products, demand complementarity leads to multiple equilibriums and the number of product varieties could be higher or lower than the constrained optimum depending on the level of the fixed cost of production. When the fixed costs are small, the market yields too many products and an infinitesimal subsidy exacerbates the problem leading to an over-supply of product varieties. On the other hand, when the fixed costs are large, there are too few products and in some cases the complementary goods industry becomes non-existent. A subsidy that induces a switch of equilibriums enhances product variety and improves social welfare.

This thesis presents a dynamic pricing model where a seller offers two types of a generic product to a random number of customers. Customers show up sequentially. When a customer arrives, he will ---depending on the prices---either purchase one unit of type 1 product or one unit of type 2 product, or will leave empty-handed. The sale ends either when the entire stock is sold out, or when the customers are exhausted. The seller's task is to post the optimal prices for the two product types to each customer to maximize the expected total revenue. We use dynamic programming to formulate this problem, and derive the optimal policy for special cases. For general cases, we develop an algorithm to approximate the optimal policy and use numerical examples to demonstrate the efficiency of the algorithm. Finally, we apply the results to a continuous-time model where customers arrive according to a Poisson process. We develop a heuristic policy and use numerical examples to show the heuristic policy is very effective. / Master of Science

Steel producers that employ niche market strategies are continuously seeking to reduce production cost while maintaining adiverse product mix. The business model is typically based onmarketing of high–strength special or stainless steels. However,the desire to avoid direct cost competition is over time gradually leading towards increased product variety and smaller ordervolumes (tonnes per order) for each product. This thesis analyses how production cost is linked to productvariety in steel strip production. Results are based on new modelsfor assessment of opportunities for performance improvement inhigh product–variety steel production. The need for flexible production processes increases with increasing product variety. Operational capabilities linked to processflexibility determine the extent to which steel producers caneliminate in–process inventory and accomplish close coupling between process steps. Niche market producers that invest inprocess flexibility improvements can lower production costs bothdue to reduced work–in–process and lower energy consumption.An additional benefit is reduced environmental impact. The following problems are addressed: • Development of a method to assess the influence of productvariety on performance in steel production. • Development of models of continuous casting and hotrolling that account for product variety and cost effectswith consideration of varying degrees of process flexibility. • Development of a strategy process model that focus on thestrategic value of operational capabilities related to processflexibility. Investments in operational capabilities regarding process flexibility have a strategic impact. An appreciation for the effectsof process flexibility should permeate the organisation’s daily work since the accumulated contribution of many, seemingly unimportant, incremental changes significantly influences thestrategic opportunities of the company. / Stålproducenter med nischmarknadsstrategier försöker ständigt sänka sina produktionskostnader samtidigt som en varierad produktflora bibehålls. Affärsmodellen bygger i typfallet på försäljning av höghållfasta specialstål eller rostfria stål. Strävan att undvika direkt priskonkurrens leder dock med tiden gradvis till ökad produktvariation och mindre ordervolymer (ton per order)för varje produkt. Denna avhandling analyserar hur produktionskostnaden är kopplad till graden av produktvariation vid tillverkning av band.Resultaten bygger på nya modeller för utvärdering av förutsättningarnaför prestandaförbättring i stålindustri med stor produktvariation. Behovet av flexibla produktionsprocesser ökar med ökande produktvariation. Praktiska förmågor kopplade till processflexibilitet avgör till vilken grad ståltillverkare förmår att eliminera mellanlager och åstadkomma en tät koppling mellan processteg.Nischmarknadsproducenter som investerar i förbättrad flexibilitet kan sänka sina produktionskostnader både genom minskad mängd produkter i arbete och reducerad energiförbrukning. Detta medför också minskad miljöbelastning.Följande problemställningar adresseras: • Utveckling av en metod för att utvärdera inverkan av produktvariationpå prestanda vid ståltillverkning. • Utveckling av en modell för stränggjutning och varmvalsningsom tar hänsyn till produktvariation och kostnadseffekterför olika grad av processflexibilitet. • Utveckling av en strategimodell som fokuserar på det strategiskavärdet av operativa förmågor kopplade till processflexibilitet. Investeringar i operativa förmågor vad avser processflexibilitet är av strategisk betydelse. Förståelse för betydelsen av processflexibilitetbör genomsyra det dagliga arbetet eftersom det samladebidraget av många, till synes obetydliga, små förändringar haren avgörande inverkan på företagets strategiska förutsättningar / QC 20100810

Submitted by MATEUS LEMOS SIMON null (mateus.simon@yahoo.com.br) on 2016-05-21T03:51:57Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Influência da Complexidade na Eficiência Operacional do Consorcio Modular - FINAL.pdf: 2683320 bytes, checksum: 0df5551d7116f8533bb5bb116893a7d6 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Felipe Augusto Arakaki (arakaki@reitoria.unesp.br) on 2016-05-24T13:53:00Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 simon_ml_me_guara.pdf: 2683320 bytes, checksum: 0df5551d7116f8533bb5bb116893a7d6 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-05-24T13:53:00Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 simon_ml_me_guara.pdf: 2683320 bytes, checksum: 0df5551d7116f8533bb5bb116893a7d6 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-03-21 / Em busca de competitividade, as montadoras vêm aumentando seu portfólio de produtos para ampliar vendas, mas com isso são desafiados a produzir com maior variedade e maior volume de produção. O gerenciamento das novas peças em conjunto com as antigas aumenta a complexidade do sistema produtivo. O objetivo deste trabalho é analisar a relação entre complexidade e eficiência operacional em operações de alto volume de produção e alta variedade de produtos, típicas na produção de veículos comerciais como caminhões e ônibus. O estudo é realizado no Consórcio Modular. A Literatura recente evidencia oportunidades de pesquisa para melhor entendimento sobre complexidade como forma de perseguir as necessidades do cliente, oferecer produtos personalizados e lidar com customização em massa sem perder de vista o desempenho operacional. / Pursuing competitiveness, automakers has increased its product portfolio to expand sales, but it is challenged to produce more variety and greater production volumes. The management of new parts increases systems complexity. The objective of this study is to analyze the relationship between complexity and operational efficiency in high-volume production and high variety of products, typical in the production of commercial vehicles such as trucks and buses. The study is conducted in the Modular Consortium. The recent literature shows research opportunities for better understanding of complexity in order to pursue the client's needs by offering customized products and deal with mass customization without letting go operational performance.

[pt] A proliferação da variedade de produtos é uma tendência em diferentes indústrias e se constitui em um assunto com crescente relevância para o mundo empresarial e acadêmico. A gestão dessa variedade deve buscar equilibrar os benefícios oriundos da perspectiva do marketing com os efeitos negativos provocados, em geral, pela perspectiva de operações e logística. Assim, tal gestão se torna um grande desafio para indústrias em que a variedade de produtos é elevada, como a automobilística. O presente trabalho é um estudo empírico que tem como objetivo quantificar, comparar e analisar o comportamento da variedade de produtos nos mais significativos mercados automobilísticos mundiais. Como objeto de estudo, utilizou-se automóveis de passeio fabricados pelos cinco maiores grupos de montadoras (Toyota, GM, Volkswagen, Ford e Honda) e como variáveis da variedade de produtos na indústria automobilística, considerou-se plataformas, marcas, modelos, versões, tipos de carrocerias, motorização, transmissão (power, trains), pintura e acabamento interno (paint & trim), opcionais de fábrica (factory fitted options) e acessórios de concessionárias (factory fitted options). Como resultado, verificou-se em que ponto da cadeia automotiva ocorre a proliferação de produtos e analisou-se a forma distinta com que esta variedade é gerida em diferentes mercados a jusante da cadeia e a partir da fábrica de automóveis. / [en] Product variety is a trend in many different industries and it is a subject with an increasing relevance to the business and academic arena. The management of product variety must seek to balance the benefits from the marketing perspective with the negative effects, in general, from the operations and logistics perspective, thus becoming a major challenge for industries where product variety is higher, such as the auto industry. This master`s dissertation is an empirical study that aims to quantify, compare and analyze the behavior of the variety of products in the most significant global automobile markets. Passenger cars manufactured by the five largest groups of automakers in the world (Toyota, GM, Volkswagen, Ford and Honda) and variables of product variety in the auto industry such as platforms, brands, models, versions, body type, power-trains, paint & trim, factory fitted options and dealer fitted options were used as objects of study. As a result, it was verified in which point of the supply chain the proliferation of automotive products occurs and the distinct way in which this variety is managed is analyzed in different markets downstream the chain from the car factory.

abstract: Consumers search before making virtually any purchase. The notion that consumers engage in costly search is well-understood to have deep implications for market performance. However to date, no theoretical model allows for the observation that consumers often purchase more than a single product in an individual shopping occasion. Clothing, food, books, and music are but four important examples of goods that are purchased many items at a time. I develop a modeling approach that accounts for multi-purchase occasions in a structural way. My model shows that as preference for variety increases, so does the size of the consideration set. Search models that ignore preference for variety are, therefore, likely to under-predict the number of products searched. It is generally thought that lower search costs increase retail competition which pushes prices and assortments down. However, I show that there is an optimal number of products to offer depending on the intensity of consumer search costs. Consumers with high search costs prefer to shop at a store with a large assortment of goods and purchase multiple products, even if the prices that firm charges is higher than competing firms' prices. On the other hand, consumers with low search costs tend to purchase fewer goods and shop at the stores that have lower prices, as long as the store has a reasonable assortment offering. The implications for market performance are dramatic and pervasive. In particular, the misspecification of demand model in which search is important and/or multiple discreteness is observed will produce biased parameter estimates leading to erroneous managerial conclusions. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Business Administration 2013