Collaborative Research: DCL: HBCU EAGER Network effects, competition and survival of small and minority owned firms in public procurement

合作研究：HBCU DCL， EARGER：公共采购中少数民族小企业的网络效应、竞争与生存小企业，特别是那些由经济弱势群体拥有的小企业，为这些人口提供了很大一部分就业机会。这些公司在与大公司竞争时往往处于竞争劣势，并经常在这个过程中失败。这些公司能否形成网络相互学习，提高效率，有效地与大公司竞争并扩大活动范围？这些网络如何影响中标和有效实施项目的机会？本研究项目将使用俄克拉何马州道路建设招标项目的数据来研究网络对少数族裔小型企业效率的影响。本研究将集中于增加形成网络机会的因素，以及这些网络对企业在竞标、成本效率、利润和长期稳定性方面的成功的影响。本研究项目的结果将增加我们的理解是什么决定了小型少数族裔拥有的公司的成功，并在此过程中，提供政策指导，如何最好地提高小企业的竞争力。因为这个研究项目的结果可以指导政策，以提高小企业的效率，结果也可以提高美国经济的竞争力。本合作研究将研究少数族裔小型企业的产业组织与竞争力。具体来说，它将利用行政和实地数据研究网络的形成对少数人拥有的小型公司在投标和完成政府基础设施合同方面的成功和生存的影响。研究的重点是：(1)在承包工作中反复竞争或合作的承包商之间的战略网络形成；（ii）网络对少数人拥有的小型企业中标概率的影响；（三）网络对小企业生存的影响。在分析网络对效率的影响时，俄克拉何马州的建筑招标数据有足够的详细信息，允许pi识别网络，控制公司的异质性和所有权结构。pi将开发一种拍卖模型，允许不同类型的公司由于经验、效率和网络连接的差异而产生信息不对称。该模型认为网络形成是由企业在网络中的净盈利能力相对于网络外的盈利能力内生决定的。pi将使用贝叶斯方法来估计模型。该研究项目的结果将有助于我们理解网络形成与小型少数族裔企业效率之间的关系，并在此过程中有助于美国经济的竞争力。

Award Abstract Alexander/KosmopoulousCollaborative Research: HBCU DCL, EARGER: Network Effects, Competition and Survival of Small Minority-Owned Firms in Public ProcurementSmall firms, especially those owned by economically disadvantaged groups, provide a large share of employment for this population. These companies are often at competitive disadvantage when they compete against large firms and often lose in the process. Can these firms form networks to learn from each other, increase their efficiency, compete effectively against larger firms and expand their activities? How do these networks affect the chance of winning a bid and effectively carrying out the project? This research project will use data from the state of Oklahoma road construction bidding program to study the impact of networks on efficiency of small minority-owned businesses. The study will focus on factors that increase the chances of forming networks and the effects of these networks on firm success in bidding, cost efficiency, profits, and long-term stability. The results of this research project will increase our understanding what determines the success of small minority-owned firms and in the process, provide policy guidance on how best to increase the competitiveness of small firms generally. Because the results of this research project could guide policies to increase the efficiency of small firms, the results could also increase the competitiveness of the U.S. economy. This collaborative research will study the industrial organization and competitiveness of small minority-owned firms. Specifically, it will use administrative and field data to study the effects of network formation on the success and survival of small, minority-owned firms in bidding for and completion of government infrastructural contracts. The research focuses on: (i) strategic network formation among contractors who repeatedly compete or cooperate in contracting jobs; (ii) the impacts of networks on the probability of a small minority-owned firm winning a bid for contract; (iii) the effects of networks on the survival of small firms. The state of Oklahoma construction bidding data has enough detailed information to allow the PIs to identify networks, control for heterogeneity of firms and ownership structure when analyzing the effects of networks on efficiency. The PIs will develop an auctions model that allows for information asymmetries across different types of firms due to differences in experience, efficiency and network connections. The model treats network formation as endogenously determined by firm net profitability in a network relative to profitability outside a network. The PIs will use Bayesian methods to estimate the models. The results of this research project will inform our understanding of the relationship between network formation and efficiency of small minority-owned firms and in the process, contribute to the competitiveness of the U.S. economy.