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Bon Journal

First mover advantage

When industries get deregulated to become markets, uncertainty is unleashed. At first the markets will be tremendously inefficient and illiquid.

You can make the markets more liquid by getting more people to trade with you. One way is to be part of the process. That is, help push for deregulation in your favour. Influence the rule-making authorities. Make the rules attractive to other players.

Another is to know more about the market so that you can identify arbitrage opportunities. In the beginning, you may make more money because of the inefficiency. But as more participants enter the market, they cream off the margins and narrow the spreads.

But as more markets get created, other kinds of money-making opportunities surface. You can arbitrage between markets. Buy something in one market and sell or deliver it in another.

If your strategy is to open the markets, then it's important to be a first mover. To do so, you need a big research team and a big regulatory/government affairs department to lobby the rule-makers.

It's expensive to go where no one has gone before.

9 December 2001 Sunday

part one
Dream job come true

part two
A generous beginning

part three
Witness to departures

part four
Make the deal, restructure later

part five
Mark your salary to the market

part six
First mover advantage

part seven
Believe in the dream

part eight
Intelligence over wisdom

part nine
Into the lioness' den

part ten
Options translated

part eleven
Forward learning curve

part twelve
Land of the big egos

part thirteen
Click with the clique

part fourteen
Endron