Profitability of Horizontal Mergers in the Presence of Price Stickiness

In this paper, we investigate the profitability of horizontal mergers of firms with price adjustments. We take a di¤erential game approach and both the open-loop as well as the closed-loop equlibria are considered. We show that the merger incentive is determined by how fast the price adapts to the equilibrium level.

Profitability of Horizontal Mergers in the Presence of Price Stickiness

In this paper, we investigate the profitability of horizontal mergers of firms with price adjustments. We take a differential game approach and both the open-loop as well as the closed-loop equlibria are considered. We show that the merger incentive is determined by how fast the price adapts to the equilibrium level

Market bundling strategies in the horizontal portal industry

The arrival of the Internet offers opportunities for both incremental efficiency gains and complete industry redefinition, presenting new value propositions and hence leading to the emergence of new businesses and industries. One particular case is that of the horizontal portal industry, such portals being consistently the most visited sites on the Web. Nevertheless, despite ongoing market concentration, overall profitability remains low. In this paper we contend that, although the industry has great potential for value creation, value appropriation in such information-based businesses remains problematic. The only way to achieve it is through cross-market bundling; that is, portals selling their products packaged with Internet access and proprietary content through system competition. We support our claims with theoretical argument and empirical evidence, analyzing the information distribution value chain in its entirety.Portals; information goods; Internet advertising; Internet service providers; content provider;

Price transmission along the food supply chain in the European Union

Agricultural commodities and consumer food prices have experienced strong variations over the last 2 years, both upwards and downwards. This increased volatility, combined with long-term prospects of rising food prices, highlights the necessity to increase the efficiency of the food supply chain to ensure consumer food prices reflect the evolution of inputs prices. This paper aims at better understanding price transmission mechanisms along the chain across European Union Member States. Significant differences across Member States in magnitude of pass-through of agricultural commodity prices variations to consumer prices, as well as price transmission asymmetries, suggest potential market fragmentation within the EU. Country-specific regulatory frameworks, as well as discrepancies in competition intensity and competitive practices along the chain can impact price transmission significantly. In particular, differences in bargaining power between suppliers and retailers for selected food products have been identified as sources of cross-country discrepancies in price transmission.Food, regulation, market structure, competition, pricing., Financial Economics,

Reducing Causal Ambiguity in Acquisition Integration: Intermediate Goals as Mediators of Integration Decisions and Acquisition Performance

Integration is a difficult process, but one that is vital to acquisition performance. One reason acquirers encounter difficulties is that the integration process exhibits high levels of intrafirm linkage ambiguity – a lack of clarity of the causal link between integration decisions and their performance outcomes. We introduce the construct of intermediate goals as a mechanism that reduces intrafirm linkage ambiguity. Our structural model results, based on a sample of 129 horizontal acquisitions, indicate that the achievement of two intermediate goals (internal reorganization and market expansion) fully mediates the relationships between four integration decisions and acquisition performance

Structural reforms and macroeconomic performance in the euro area countries: a model-based assessment

We quantitatively assess the macroeconomic effects of country-specific supply-side reforms in the euro area by simulating EAGLE, a multi-country dynamic general equilibrium model. We consider reforms in the labor and services markets of Germany (or, alternatively, Portugal) and the rest of the euro area. Our main results are as follows. First, a unilateral markup reduction by 15 percentage points in the German (Portuguese) labor and services market would induce an increase in the long-run German (Portuguese) output equal to 8.8 (7.8) percent. Second, cross-country coordination of reforms would add extra benefits to each region, by limiting the deterioration of relative prices and purchasing power that a country faces when implementing reforms unilaterally. In the long run German (Portuguese) output would increase by 9.2 (8.6) percent. Third, cross-country coordination would make the macroeconomic performance of the different regions more homogeneous, in terms of price competitiveness and real activity. Overall, our results suggest that while reforms implemented individually by each country in the euro area will produce positive effects, cross-country coordination produces larger and more evenly distributed (positive) effects.economic policy, structural reforms, dynamic general equilibrium modeling, competition, markups.

Real exchange rate volatility and disconnect: an empirical investigation

A two-country model that incorporates many features proposed in the New Open Economy Macroeconomics literature is developed in order to replicate the volatility of the real exchange rate and its disconnect with macroeconomic variables. The model is estimated using data for the euro area and the U.S. and Bayesian methods. The analysis delivers the following results: (a) international price discrimination, home bias and shocks to the uncovered interest rate parity (UIRP) condition are key features to replicate the variance of the real exchange rate; (b) home bias, shocks to the UIRP condition and to production technologies help replicating the disconnect;(c) distribution services intensive in local nontradeables are an important source of international price discrimination.International business cycle, Exchange rate volatility, Exchange rate pass-through, International transmission.

Experience Spillovers across Corporate Development Activities

This study develops a theoretical explanation for the existence of positive, as well as negative, experience spillovers across corporate development activities. We suggest that the similarity in two activities influences both the sign and magnitude of experience spillovers. The argument is used to understand how alliance experience influences the performance of acquisitions in the US commercial banking industry. The empirical evidence indicates that the spillover effect of alliance experience on acquisition performance is a function of the decisions made in the post-acquisition phase regarding the level of integration and the replacement of top management. We also find a U-shaped relationship between alliance experience and acquisition performance, suggesting the presence of negative spillovers across corporate development activities at low experience levels.