Benefits of Collaboration on Capacity Investment and Allocation

Abstract

This paper studies how capacity collaboration can benefit two competing firms. We consider a two-stage model where capacity decisions are made in the first stage when there are significant uncertainties about market conditions, and then production decisions are made in the second stage after most of these uncertainties are resolved. We vary the degree of collaboration between the two firms in their capacity and production decisions, examining multiple models and comparing the outcomes. We find that a firm can benefit from collaboration even with its competitors. Interestingly, the firms do not have to make production decisions jointly to realize the benefits of collaboration. Additionally, while collaborative capacity investment proves beneficial, collaborating on production with existing capacity can often yield greater benefits. We find that the advantages of collaboration are most pronounced when competition intensifies, demand fluctuates significantly, and investment costs are high.