Evidence on Agglomeration in Quality Space-Revisited

This paper extends the results of C. Hjorth-Andersen (1988) by examining agglomeration in quality space for 16,257 consumer products tested by Konsument and Test magazines. These magazines have tested and evaluated quality characteristics for a large number of brands of different consumer products, thereby indicating brand positions in quality space. The results indicate that markets for consumer products cluster around average and high quality. Manufacturers tend to provide consistent attribute qualities. The results remain consistent for different product classifications and different definitions of quality space. Copyright 1993 by Blackwell Publishing Ltd.