The non-linear industry effects on firm performance

Abstract

This paper aims to investigate the effects of the industry environment on firm’s performance, by using a non-linear regression model. The samples used range from 178 (2005) to 252 (2012) publicly traded Brazilian firms, active in the period from 2005 to 2012. The analysis, which uses the variance decomposition method, allows one to identify a tendency for the influence of rivalry to increase a firm’s performance. The quadratic relationship identified here points to an equilibrium point of the industry environment effect that, if exceeded, may cause a reverse effect on profitability. These results are in line with the view that as rivalry increases, as measured in terms of rivals’ performance, so the possibility of obtaining a better sales performance also increases, until the point where the level of rivalry intensity becomes a barrier to increasing sales any further.