The lack of available prices in the Dutch life insurance industry makes competition an elusive concept that defies … direct observation. Therefore, this paper investigates competition by analysing several factors which may affect the … Xinefficiency, since severe competition would force firms to exploit available scale economies and to reduce X-inefficiencies. Both …

influences total demand. Survey data of Dutch merchants shows that costs, and competition affect acceptance as well as … their customers for using them. Merchants who face any competition accept debit card payments relatively more often than … merchants with monopoly power, and they are less likely to surcharge their customers for debit card usage. Intense competition …