When Do Input Prices Matter For Make-Or-Buy Decisions?

Abstract

We investigate input pricing regimes that induce efficient make-or-buy decisions by entrants when there is constant returns in the production of the input(s) and simultaneous noncooperative price competition in downstream retail markets. A necessary and sufficient condition for efficient make-or-buy decisions is derived. This condition shows that input prices are relevant for make-or-buy decisions except under restrictive and often unverifiable assumptions on the demand structure, and that the least informationally-demanding way to ensure efficient make-or-buy decisions is to price inputs at marginal cost. The extent to which input prices can depart from marginal cost while still inducing efficient make-or-buy decisions depends on the relative efficiency of the incumbent and the demand displacement ratio, with significant departures possible even for modest efficiency differences when products are nearly homogeneous.