Capital Structure and Competitiveness in Product Market (under Cournot and Bertrand Competition)

Abstract

The present paper aimed to study the relationship between capital structure and competitiveness under Cournot and Bertrand competition in companies listed in Tehran Stock Exchange. For this purpose, competitive position in the market, with special emphasis on market share, and capital structure, with special emphasis on financial leverage (as a criterion for measurement of capital structure), were taken into account. Based on Competitive Strategy Measure, the studied companies were divided into two groups of companies with Cournot competition and those with Bertrand competition. The present research sought the answer to the question that whether the type of competition (Cournot or Bertrand) affects the relationship between market share and financial leverage or not. The statistical sample included 131 companies which were listed in Tehran Stock Exchange in the period from 2008 to 2012. Regression models in the form of simultaneous equations and t-test were used for testing the hypotheses. The results showed that, regardless of the type of competition, both capital structure and competitive position affect each other negatively.