Premium
Profitability and market share: A reflection on the functional relationship
Author(s) -
Schwalbach Joachim
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
strategic management journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 11.035
H-Index - 286
eISSN - 1097-0266
pISSN - 0143-2095
DOI - 10.1002/smj.4250120405
Subject(s) - market share , profitability index , market share analysis , business , service (business) , marketing , industrial organization , finance , market microstructure , order (exchange)
The paper analyzes the functional relationship between profitability and market share for type of businesses in the PIMS data base. Although a linear relationship has been imposed in other studies, our result shows that empirically it seems a poor representation of the data. In addition, three observations seem to be most evident. First, small‐share businesses were not per se less successful than larger business units. In the service market and the market for raw or semi‐finished materials small‐share businesses were just as profitable or even more profitable than larger business units. Second, some businesses were ‘stuck in the middle’, which was most evident in the service market but also in the retail and wholesale markets. Third, very large‐share businesses were often less profitable. A critical market share was identified as between 65 and 70 percent. Beyond that level the ROI decreased.