Competition and trust: Evidence from German car manufacturers

We explore the determinants and effects of trust relationships between upstream suppliers and downstream producers. Using unique survey data on individual supplier-buyer relationships in the German automotive industry, we show, by means of different measures of supplier-buyer trust, that higher levels of trust mitigate relationship-specific underinvestment in a classical hold-up situation. Moreover, contrary to the extant literature, we show that higher levels of supplier's trust are reflected in the buyer's choice of a more competitive procurement strategy among potential suppliers. --trust,hold-up problem,competition,specific investment,suppliers,car manufacturers,German automotive industry

Competition and Trust: Evidence from German Car Manufacturers

We explore the determinants and effects of trust relationships between upstream suppliers and downstream producers. Using unique survey data on individual supplier-buyer relationships in the German automotive industry, we show, by means of different measures of supplier-buyer trust, that higher levels of trust mitigate relationship-specific underinvestment in a classical hold-up situation. Moreover, contrary to the extant literature, we show that higher levels of supplier’s trust are reflected in the buyer’s choice of a more competitive procurement strategy among potential supplierstrust, hold-up problem, competition, specific investment, suppliers, car manufacturers, German automotive industry

Competition and Trust: Evidence from German Car Manufacturers

We explore the determinants and effects of trust relationships between upstream suppliers and downstream producers. Using unique survey data on individual supplier-buyer relationships in the German automotive industry, we show, by means of different measures of supplier-buyertrust, tha thigher levels of trust mitigate relationship-specific underinvestment in a classical hold-up situation. Moreover, contrary to the extant literature, we show that higher levels of supplier’s trust are reflected in the buyer’s choice of a more competitive procurement strategy among potential suppliers.Trust; Hold-up problem; Competition; Speci?c investment; Suppliers; Car manufacturers; German automotive industry

Hydrodynamic Trapping of Swimming Bacteria by Convex Walls

Swimming bacteria display a remarkable tendency to move along flat surfaces for prolonged times. This behavior may have a biological importance but can also be exploited by using microfabricated structures to manipulate bacteria. The main physical mechanism behind the surface entrapment of swimming bacteria is, however, still an open question. By studying the swimming motion of Escherichia coli cells near microfabricated pillars of variable size, we show that cell entrapment is also present for convex walls of sufficiently low curvature. Entrapment is, however, markedly reduced below a characteristic radius. Using a simple hydrodynamic model, we predict that trapped cells swim at a finite angle with the wall and a precise relation exists between the swimming angle at a flat wall and the critical radius of curvature for entrapment. Both predictions are quantitatively verified by experimental data. Our results demonstrate that the main mechanism for wall entrapment is hydrodynamic in nature and show the possibility of inhibiting cell adhesion, and thus biofilm formation, using convex features of appropriate curvature

The International Right to Health: What Does It Mean in Legal Practice and How Can It Affect Priority Setting for Universal Health Coverage?

The international right to health is enshrined in national and international law. In a growing number of cases, individuals denied access to high-cost medicines and technologies under universal coverage systems have turned to the courts to challenge the denial of access as against their right to health. In some instances, patients seek access to medicines, services, or technologies that they would have access to under universal coverage if not for government, health system, or service delivery shortfalls. In others, patients seek access to medicines, services, or technologies that have not been included or that have been explicitly denied for coverage due to prioritization. In the former, judicialization of the right to health is critical to ensure patients access to the technologies or services to which they are entitled. In the latter, courts may grant patients access to medicines not covered as a result of explicit priority setting to allocate finite resources. By doing so, courts may give priority to those with the means and incentive to turn to the courts, at the expense of the maximization of equity- and population-based health. Evidence- based, informed decision-making processes could ensure that the most clinically and cost-effective products aligning with social value judgments are prioritized. Governments should be equipped to engage in and defend rational priority setting as a means to promote fair allocation of resources to maximize population health. Rational priority setting is an evidence-based form of explicit priority setting, where the priority setting process is deliberate and transparent, the decision makers are specified, relevant stakeholders are involved, and the best available evidence about clinical and cost-effectiveness and social values is considered. The most rational priority setting processes will also account for the benefit to patients, the cost, the ethicality and the fairness. The priority setting process and institutions involved should then be held accountable through an appeals process, allowing independent review by health systems, health care, and other relevant experts, and an opportunity for judicial review. While the implementation of a three-step (1) rational priority setting, (2) appeals, and (3) judicial review process will differ depending on a country’s resource constraints, political systems, and social values, the authors argue that the three stages together will promote the greatest accountability and fairness. As a result, the courts could place greater reliance on the government’s coverage choices, and the population’s health could be most equitably distributed

Dynamical matrix for arbitrary quadratic fermionic bath Hamiltonians and non-Markovian dynamics of one and two qubits in an Ising model environment

We obtain the analytical expression for the Kraus decomposition of the quantum map of an environment modeled by an arbitrary quadratic fermionic Hamiltonian acting on one or two qubits, and derive simple functions to check the non-positivity of the intermediate map. These functions correspond to two different sufficient criteria for non-Markovianity. In the particular case of an environment represented by the Ising Hamiltonian, we discuss the two sources of non-Markovianity in the model, one due to the finite size of the lattice, and another due to the kind of interactions.Comment: 11 pages, 10 figure