Yes, part of how they achieved this was by violating emissions standards for a decade, something that they've been fined for. I'd be willing to wager they engage in similar practices too.
>I could keep listing examples of market leaders that offer better products that are more aligned with consumer preferences,
Their existence alone won't convince me. You need to answer why the competition is unable to produce similar products at similar prices.
This began well after they entered the market and upset the dominance of established players.
> You need to answer why the competition is unable to produce similar products at similar prices.
The same way some people are better at given task. Many older firms are complacent, and operating on an understanding of the market as it existed in the past. Technology, consumer preferences, commodity prices, and other market conditions are constantly changing. If you see something you competitors don't you can offer better cheaper services. The bigger your competitors are, the slower they are to change course.
At bottom, firms are made up of people who are uniquely skilled and qualified. Better people in better systems will perform better. It can be dead simple sometimes. Firms with happier employees are often more productive.
If you don't understand the basics of competitive advantage, then of course you think companies can only gain an edge by doing something immoral. But this is ultimately sophomoric economic thinking.
>This began well after they entered the market and upset the dominance of established players.
I still find it unlikely that it is an isolated incident, but that decade is also when they started to pass the mentioned 10%.
>But this is ultimately sophomoric economic thinking.
Your attempt to explain why the competition may be unable to compete is "they're just better." Beyond that, you just say smaller is better, which is the point of my argument.
Yes, part of how they achieved this was by violating emissions standards for a decade, something that they've been fined for. I'd be willing to wager they engage in similar practices too.
>I could keep listing examples of market leaders that offer better products that are more aligned with consumer preferences,
Their existence alone won't convince me. You need to answer why the competition is unable to produce similar products at similar prices.