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http://hdl.handle.net/2451/26166
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| Title: | Aggregate Concentration in the Global Economy: Issues and Evidence |
| Authors: | White, Lawrence |
| Keywords: | aggregate concentration
mergers
global |
| Issue Date: | 1-Jan-2003 |
| Series/Report no.: | EC-03-13 |
| Abstract: | In this paper I present new and original evidence concerning global
aggregate concentration. To my knowledge, this evidence constitutes the
first systematic effort to measure global aggregate concentration. The
data are available only for the years 1994-2001 and require some
compromises and approximations. For 2001, the largest 500 global
companies' employment accounted for 1.60% of the world labor force, or
9.92% of OECD employment. These companies' profits amounted to 0.94% of
world GDP or 4.16% of world gross domestic savings (GDS); their profits
also amounted to 1.18% of OECD GDP or 5.62% of OECD gross national
saving (GNS). Similar estimates are available for the largest 50 global
companies. The time trends for 1994-2001 show a mixed picture. If
employment is the basis for the measurements, the largest 50 global
companies accounted for a slightly decreasing share of aggregate
employment over time. If, instead, profits are the basis for the
measurements, then the 50 largest companies accounted for an increasing
share over these same years. But this latter trend is likely overstated
and is unlikely to be sustained. Future years will yield more data that
can be used to check these trends and refine these measurements. |
| URI: | http://hdl.handle.net/2451/26166 |
| Appears in Collections: | Economics Working Papers
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