The behaviour of firms: an old debate

The Harvard School began with the early Mason/Bain research about the performance of the firms to get market power. This proposal opened a different field of the neoclassical economic theory valid since Alfred Marshall, whereas the Chicago scholars continued with the traditional paradigm. Nowadays the three main issues of discussion between these two schools of economic thought are the same as those of the 30’s and 40’s: barriers of entry into an industry for the new incumbents, the production function and profits maximization and behaviour of the firms within their industry. This article updates these topics.