Joe S. Bain | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1912-07-04)July 4, 1912 Spokane, Washington, U.S. |
| Died | September 7, 1991(1991-09-07) (aged 79) Columbus, Ohio, U.S. |
| Known for | Structure–conduct–performance paradigm Barriers to entry |
| Academic background | |
| Alma mater | University of California, Los Angeles (A.B.) Harvard University (M.A., Ph.D.) |
| Doctoral advisor | Joseph Schumpeter Edward Chamberlin Edward S. Mason |
| Academic work | |
| Discipline | Industrial organization |
| Institutions | University of California, Berkeley |
| Notable works | Barriers to New Competition (1956) Industrial Organization: A Treatise (1959) |
| Awards | Distinguished Fellow,American Economic Association (1982) |
Joseph Staten Bain Jr. (4 July 1912 – 7 September 1991) was an Americaneconomist associated with theUniversity of California, Berkeley. Bain was designated aDistinguished Fellow by theAmerican Economic Association in 1982.[1] The Association described him as "the undisputed father of modernindustrial organization economics."[2][3]
Bain earned hisA.B. fromUCLA in 1935, followed by anM.A. in 1939 and aPh.D. in 1940 fromHarvard University.[4][5] His doctoral advisors includedJoseph Schumpeter,Edward Chamberlin, andEdward S. Mason. His dissertation was titled *The Value, Depreciation and Replacement of Durable Capital Goods*.
Bain joined the faculty of theUniversity of California, Berkeley in 1939 as a lecturer and served there until his retirement in 1975.[5] In 1960, he also served as director of studies at the California Water Industry.[3]
Bain was a prolific scholar at both the theoretical andapplied levels. His major works includeThe Economics of the Pacific Coast Petroleum Industry (1944–1947),[6] described as "a landmark in the application and empirical testing of the hypotheses ofmicroeconomic theory."[2] His later books,Barriers to New Competition (1956)[7] andIndustrial Organization: A Treatise (1959),[8] were foundational in shaping modern industrial organization.
Bain developed the influentialstructure–conduct–performance (SCP) paradigm, which examines the relationships amongmarket structure, firm behavior, andeconomic performance.[8][9] He also pioneered the empirical analysis ofbarriers to entry,market concentration, andprofitability as indicators ofmarket power.[7][3]
Joe S. Bain’s research established much of the analytical foundation for postwar industrial organization. His SCP model remains a central framework in antitrust analysis, market regulation, and competition policy.
