doi:10.3846/16111699.2013.815130engFernández-Olmos, MartaDejo-Oricain, NataliaRosell-Martínez, JorgeProduct differentiation strategy and vertical integration: an application to the DOC Rioja wine industryART-2016-99262This study evaluates the importance of product differentiation as a determinant of vertical integration in firms. The proposed model also controls for known determinants of integration, such as transaction costs and firm-level capabilities. By identifying transaction-, firm- and strategy-level determinants, we derive testable predictions about the vertical integration decision. To test these predictions we analyze the Rioja wine industry, using a representative sample of 187 firms. Our paper concludes that reaching judicious vertical integration decisions requires a thorough analysis of some very diverse aspects, especially those related to mitigating opportunism, dealing with unforeseen contingencies and product differentiation.2016http://zaguan.unizar.es/record/6156810.3846/16111699.2013.815130http://zaguan.unizar.es/record/61568oai:zaguan.unizar.es:61568info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/MICINN/ECO2009-09623Journal of Business Economics and Management 17, 5 (2016), 796-809All rights reservedhttp://www.europeana.eu/rights/rr-f/info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess