horizontal integration

noun

The integrating of identical stages in the production or marketing process under the ownership or control of a single management organization, typically by mergers and acquisitions in the same industry, to increase market share, reduce competition, or achieve economies of scale.

Similar
horizontal combination

Meanings

nounhorizontal integration (countable and uncountable, plural horizontal integrations)

plural horizontal integrations

  1. countableuncountableeconomicsThe integrating of identical stages in the production or marketing process under the ownership or control of a single management organization, typically by mergers and acquisitions in the same industry, to increase market share, reduce competition, or achieve economies of scale.
    2 more examples

    This process of vertical and horizontal integration has resulted in consolidation of control over basic transformation technologies used in the genetic modification of crops; control over proprietary traits; and control over the elite germplasm resources for many of the world's most important commercial crops.

    2003, Rachel Schurman, Dennis D. Kelso, chapter 1, in Engineering trouble: biotechnology and its discontents, →ISBN, page 28

    In the 1930s, Brandeis argued that large companies would inevitably exploit their workers, convert their profits into political influence, and corrode both the market and the machinations of government. But the Reagan administration and subsequent lawmakers have allowed vertical and horizontal integration on the theory that economies of scale often benefit both employees and consumers.

    2016 September 11, Derek Thompson, “America's Monopoly Problem”, in The Atlantic, →ISSN

    Antonyms: vertical integration

Synonyms & antonyms

nounThe integrating of identical stages in the production or marketing process under the ownership or control of a single management organization, typically by mergers and acquisitions in the same industry, to increase market share, reduce competition, or achieve economies of scale.

More synonyms by meaning

nounabsorption into a single firm of several firms involved in the same level of production and sharing resources at that level

Similar
horizontal combination

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 水平一體化 /水平一体化, 橫向集成 /横向集成
  • 水平一體化 /水平一体化 (shuǐpíng yītǐhuà)The integrating of identical stages in the production or marketing process
  • 橫向集成 /横向集成 (héngxiàng jíchéng)The integrating of identical stages in the production or marketing process
  • 橫向一體化 /横向一体化 (héngxiàng yītǐhuà)The integrating of identical stages in the production or marketing process
German horizontale Integration
  • horizontale IntegrationThe integrating of identical stages in the production or marketing process
Japanese 水平統合
  • 水平統合 (suichoku-tōgō)The integrating of identical stages in the production or marketing process
Cite this entry
APA

horizontal integration. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/horizontal%20integration

MLA

“horizontal integration.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/horizontal%20integration. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “horizontal integration,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/horizontal%20integration.

Source: horizontal integration on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.