Competition Reduces X-Inefficiency - A note on a Limited Liability Mechanism

The study illustrates that a financial restriction may serve as a disciplining device on the internal efficiency of a firm, and that the disciplining power is higher the tougher the product market competition is. The financial restriction is modeled as a limited liability constraint, that is a non-negative profit constraint. Hence, this limited liability mechanism may, in part, account for the disciplining power of product market competition on firm efficiency, alleged by policy makers as well as economists.financial restriction; efficiency of a firm; disciplining power

A new perspective on mergers and acquisitions: Evidence explained, policies prescribed

Übernahme, International, Takeover

Merger Control and Enterprise Competitiveness - Empirical Analysis and Policy Recommendations

This report studies the importance of efficiency gains from horizontal mergers. A general theme throughout this report is that efficiency gains, and their pass-on to consumers, may vary substantially from merger to merger. For this reason it seems appropriate to reconsider current practice in European merger control, which does not allow the merging parties to appeal to an efficiency defence. Our report provides a detailed examination of two main parts of an efficiency analysis. The first chapter considers the presence of efficiencies from mergers, with a focus on economies of scale. The second chapter consider the pass-on of efficiencies to consumers in the form of lower prices.Mergers & Acquisitions; Merger Control; Competition Policy; Antitrust 

Horizontal Mergers Without Synergies May Increase Consumer Welfare

Markets with imperfect competition do not induce a cost-minimizing allocation of production between firms. The market's ability to rationalize production is even more limited if costs are private information to firms. Merger in such markets generate an efficiency gain associated with the pooling of information. Not only may costs be reduced, the price level and price variability may also decline and consumers may thus gain

The Insiders' Dilemma: An Experiment on Merger Formation

This paper tests the insiders' dilemma hypothesis in a laboratory experiment. The insiders' dilemma means that a profitable merger does not occur, because it is even more profitable for each firm to unilaterally stand as an outsider (Kamien and Zang, 1990 and 1993). The experimental data provides support for the insiders' dilemma, and thereby for endogenous rather than exogenous merger theory. More surprisingly, our data suggests that fairness considerations also make profitable mergers difficult. Mergers that should occur in equilibrium do not, since they require an unequal split of surplus.  Coalition Formation; Experiment; Insiders' Dilemma; Mergers; Antitrust

Exclusive quality: Why exclusive distribution may benefit the TV-viewers

Sports organizations, Hollywood studios and TV channels grant satellite and cable networks exclusive rights to televise their matches, movies and media contents. Exclusive distributions prevents viewers from watching attractive programs, and reduces the TV-distributors incentives to compete in prices. This paper demonstrates that exclusive distribution may also give providers of contents incentives to invest in higher quality and, as a result, force competitors to reduce their prices. Exclusive distribution may benefit all viewers, including those who are excluded

Bilateral Oligopoly

In intermediate goods markets, both buyers and sellers normally have market power, and sales are based on bilaterally negotiated contracts specifying both price and quantity. In our model, pairs of buyers and sellers meet in bilateral but interdependent Rubinstein-Ståhl negotiations. The outcome has a simple characterization (a Nash equilibrium in Nash bargaining solutions) suitable for applied work. Equilibrium quantities are efficient regardless of concentration and also with few “trading links”. The law of one price does not hold. In addition to relation-specific characteristics, prices depend on both upstream and downstream concentration and on the structure of trading links. The requirements necessary for Walrasian prices are stronger than usually believed.Bilageral Oligopoly; Bargaining; Intermediate Goods; Decentralized Trade; Walrasian Outcome

Why Mergers Reduce Profits and Raise Share Prices: A Theory of Preemptive Mergers

We explain the empirical puzzle why mergers reduce profits and raise share prices. If being an "insider" is better than being an "outsider," firms may merge to preempt their partner merging with a rival. The stock-value of the insiders is increased, since the risk of becoming an outsider is eliminated. We also explain why shareholders of targets gain while acquirers typically break even. These results are derived in an endogenousmerger model, predicting the conditions under which mergers occur, when they occur, and how the surplus is shared. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG - (Warum Fusionen Profite reduzieren und Aktienpreise steigen lassen) Es wird ein "Mechanismus der Gewinnung eines Vorsprungs durch Fusion" aufgezeigt, der eventuell das empirische Rätsel, warum Fusionen Profite reduzieren und Aktienpreise steigen lassen, erklären kann. Eine Fusion kann starke negative externe Effekte bei den Unternehmen auslösen, die nicht an der Fusion beteiligt sind. Wenn es besser ist ein "Insider" zu sein als ein "Outsider", kann es sein, dass Firmen Fusionieren um dem zuvorzukommen, dass ihre Partner mit jemand anderem fusionieren. Desweiteren ist der Wert eines fusionierenden Unternehmens vor der Fusion niedrig, da er das Risiko ein Outsider zu werden reflektiert. Diese Ergebnisse werden aus einem Modell endogener Fusionen abgeleitet, welches die Bedingungen unter denen eine Fusion stattfindet, wann sie stattfindet und wie der Überschuss verteilt werden wird, vorhersagt.Mergers, Acquisitions, Defensive Mergers, Coalition Formation

Why Event Studies Do Not Detect Anti-Competitive Mergers

Anticompetitive mergers increase competitors' profits, since they reduce competition. Using a model of endogenous mergers, we show that such mergers nevertheless may reduce the competitors' share-prices. Thus, event-studies can not detect anti-competitive mergers. Mergers & Acquisitions; Event Studies; Antitrust; Coalition Formation