1,183 research outputs found
Analysis of Current Penalty Schemes for Violations of Antitrust Laws
The main feature of the penalty schemes described in current sentencing guidelines is that the fine is based on the accumulated gains from cartel activities or price-fixing activities for the firm. The regulations suggest modeling the penalty as an increasing function of the accumulated illegal gains from price fixing to the firm, so that the history of the violation is taken into account. We incorporate these features of the penalty scheme into an optimal control model of a profit-maximizing firm under antitrust enforcement. To determine the effect of taking into account the history of the violation, we compare the outcome of this model with a model where the penalty is fixed. The analysis of the latter model implies that complete deterrence can be achieved only at the cost of shutting down the firm. The proportional scheme improves upon the fixed penalty, since it can ensure complete deterrence in the long run, even when penalties are moderate. Phase-diagram analysis shows that, the higher the probability and severity of punishment, the sooner cartel formation is blocked. Further, a sensitivity analysis is provided to show which strategies are most successful in reducing the degree of price fixing. It turns out that, when the penalties are already high, the antitrust policy aiming at a further increase in the severity of punishment is less efficient than the policy that increases the probability of punishment.Optimal Control; Dynamic Analysis; Antitrust Policy; Antitrust Laws
Analysis of Current Penalty Schemes for Violations of Antitrust Laws
The main feature of the penalty schemes described in current sentencing guidelines is that the fine is based on the accumulated gains from cartel activities or price-fixing activities for the firm. The regulations suggest modeling the penalty as an increasing function of the accumulated illegal gains from price fixing to the firm, so that the history of the violation is taken into account. We incorporate these features of the penalty scheme into an optimal control model of a profit-maximizing firm under antitrust enforcement. To determine the effect of taking into account the history of the violation, we compare the outcome of this model with a model where the penalty is fixed. The analysis of the latter model implies that complete deterrence can be achieved only at the cost of shutting down the firm. The proportional scheme improves upon the fixed penalty, since it can ensure complete deterrence in the long run, even when penalties are moderate. Phase-diagram analysis shows that, the higher the probability and severity of punishment, the sooner cartel formation is blocked. Further, a sensitivity analysis is provided to show which strategies are most successful in reducing the degree of price fixing. It turns out that, when the penalties are already high, the antitrust policy aiming at a further increase in the severity of punishment is less efficient than the policy that increases the probability of punishment
Analysis of Current Penalty Schemes for Violations of Antitrust Laws
The main feature of the penalty schemes described in current sentencing guidelines is that the fine is based on the accumulated gains from cartel activities or price-fixing activities for the firm. The regulations suggest modeling the penalty as an increasing function of the accumulated illegal gains from price fixing to the firm, so that the history of the violation is taken into account. We incorporate these features of the penalty scheme into an optimal control model of a profit-maximizing firm under antitrust enforcement. To determine the effect of taking into account the history of the violation, we compare the outcome of this model with a model where the penalty is fixed. The analysis of the latter model implies that complete deterrence can be achieved only at the cost of shutting down the firm. The proportional scheme improves upon the fixed penalty, since it can ensure complete deterrence in the long run, even when penalties are moderate. Phase-diagram analysis shows that, the higher the probability and severity of punishment, the sooner cartel formation is blocked. Further, a sensitivity analysis is provided to show which strategies are most successful in reducing the degree of price fixing. It turns out that, when the penalties are already high, the antitrust policy aiming at a further increase in the severity of punishment is less efficient than the policy that increases the probability of punishment
On the Connection of Anisotropic Conductivity to Tip Induced Space Charge Layers in Scanning Tunneling Spectroscopy of p-doped GaAs
The electronic properties of shallow acceptors in p-doped GaAs{110} are
investigated with scanning tunneling microscopy at low temperature. Shallow
acceptors are known to exhibit distinct triangular contrasts in STM images for
certain bias voltages. Spatially resolved I(V)-spectroscopy is performed to
identify their energetic origin and behavior. A crucial parameter - the STM
tip's work function - is determined experimentally. The voltage dependent
potential configuration and band bending situation is derived. Ways to validate
the calculations with the experiment are discussed. Differential conductivity
maps reveal that the triangular contrasts are only observed with a depletion
layer present under the STM tip. The tunnel process leading to the anisotropic
contrasts calls for electrons to tunnel through vacuum gap and a finite region
in the semiconductor.Comment: 11 pages, 8 figure
Fundamental progress in investigating drug resistance with electronic multidrug compliance monitoring (e-MCM)
Current definitions of drug resistance are shaped by the pharmacotherapeutic fields they occurred in. They usually mention various contributing factors and refer either to the clinical or the biomarker level. Particular attention has been attracted by antiplatelet resistance, a phenomenon with clinical, cellular and pharmacogenetical contributors. However, the impact of every single factor to antiplatelet resistance in outpatients under prescribed antiplatelet therapy has not been comprehensively evaluated so far, neither has the temporal pattern of drug intake been studied as a possible contributor
Topological phase transitions and quantum Hall effect in the graphene family
Monolayer staggered materials of the graphene family present intrinsic spin-orbit coupling and can be driven through several topological phase transitions using external circularly polarized lasers and static electric or magnetic fields. We show how topological features arising from photoinduced phase transitions and the magnetic-field-induced quantum Hall effect coexist in these materials and simultaneously impact their Hall conductivity through their corresponding charge Chern numbers. We also show that the spectral response of the longitudinal conductivity contains signatures of the various phase-transition boundaries, that the transverse conductivity encodes information about the topology of the band structure, and that both present resonant peaks which can be unequivocally associated with one of the four inequivalent Dirac cones present in these materials. This complex optoelectronic response can be probed with straightforward Faraday rotation experiments, allowing the study of the crossroads between quantum Hall physics, spintronics, and valleytronics
Controlling electric and magnetic Purcell effects in phosphorene via strain engineering
We investigate the spontaneous emission lifetime of a quantum emitter near a
substrate coated with phosphorene under the influence of uniaxial strain. We
consider both electric dipole and magnetic dipole-mediated spontaneous
transitions from the excited to the ground state. The modeling of phosphorene
is performed by employing a tight-binding model that goes beyond the usual
low-energy description. We demonstrate that both electric and magnetic decay
rates can be strongly tuned by the application of uniform strain, ranging from
a near-total suppression of the Purcell effect to a remarkable enhancement of
more than 1300% due to the high flexibility associated with the puckered
lattice structure of phosphorene. We also unveil the use of strain as a
mechanism to tailor the most probable decay pathways of the emitted quanta. Our
results show that uniaxially strained phosphorene is an efficient and versatile
material platform for the active control of light-matter interactions thanks to
its extraordinary optomechanical properties
Mental healthcare goes online:Practitioners' experiences of providing mental healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic
The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated sudden and radical changes in mental health care delivery, as strict social distancing and lockdown measures were imposed in the early phases of the pandemic. Almost overnight, practitioners were forced to transfer their face-to-face care practice to online means. To understand the implications of this drastic change for mental health care, and to improve the online care offerings, an online qualitative survey was held among mental health care professionals in Netherlands (n = 51). Our findings indicate that technological and usability problems pose a significant challenge, as do difficulties to establish rapport with clients. Moreover, not all mental health issues and treatment forms are equally amenable to online interaction. In contrast, in many instances, practitioners were positive about the effectiveness of treatment, and reported flexibility, a lower threshold for contact, and lack of travel time as advantages. Their most prominent needs concern better technological, organizational, and logistical support. It is critical that these needs are acted upon by institutions and governments. In addition, current results inform future research on the improvement of e-mental health technologies
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