Investment universe-level returns to scale and active fund management

Andreas Ørpetveit ()
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Andreas Ørpetveit: Dept. of Business and Management Science, Norwegian School of Economics, Postal: NHH , Department of Business and Management Science, Helleveien 30, N-5045 Bergen, Norway, https://www.nhh.no/en/employees/faculty/andreas-orpetveit/

No 2025/14, Discussion Papers from Norwegian School of Economics, Department of Business and Management Science

Abstract: Research shows that competition negatively impacts fund alpha. I derive that fund managers can counteract this impact by adjusting the level of active management. In an international sample, I find that the impact of competition in funds’ investment universe depends on its source: funds face decreasing returns to the total size of active funds and increasing returns to the total size of passive funds. This implies that managers should increase active management when passive fund competition rises and reduce it when active fund competition increases. Empirical evidence suggests that managers adjust only to changes in competition from passive funds.

Keywords: Mutual funds; Active fund management; Competition; Decreasing returns to scale; Equilibrium (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: G11 G20 G23 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 51 pages
Date: 2025-05-08
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-fmk
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