IMPACTS OF HORIZONTAL MERGERS ON DUAL-CHANNEL SUPPLY CHAIN

Abstract

This paper investigates the impacts of horizontal mergers on a dual-channel supply chain given the rapid development of e-commerce. Three types of horizontal mergers are considered in a dual-channel supply chain consisting of three firm types: suppliers, single-channel retailer, and dual-channel retailer. A comparison with a benchmark pre-merger scenario underscores the impacts of each horizontal merger on firms in the dual-channel supply chain. First, where horizontal mergers occur (i.e., at upstream or downstream tier) has an impact on firms in the dual-channel supply chain. Second, synergy costs trigger the domination of the synergy effect. Third, the degree of consumer preference for channels affects the trigger due to which the synergy effect outweighs the competitive effect. Although dual channels prevail in supply chain management, few studies pay attention to horizontal mergers in this context. Unlike literature on horizontal mergers in single-channel supply chains, we suggest that the impacts of horizontal mergers in dual-channel supply chains have unique features, and channel preference plays an important role in such impacts.