This paper analyzes the recent mergers in the oil industry. Oil is assumed to be a homogeneous good which is produced by a small number of firms with different unit costs. Merger formation is endogenously explained as a result of cooperative decisions. We show that the mergers are amongst very...

This paper analyzes endogenous merger formation in oligopolistic markets where firms have different unit production costs. We reformulate the merger model, introduced by Barros (1998), by employing the core as cooperative equilibrium concept. We show that, depending on the size asymmetry in the...

Dieser Beitrag zeigt, dass aktienkursabhängige Entlohnung bei korrelierter Nachfrageentwicklung die Neigung der Manager erhöht, eine implizite Preisabsprache einzuhalten. Die geringeren Gewinne in der Strafphase führen bereits in der Ausbruchsperiode zu einem niedrigeren Aktienkurs und damit...

When randomly assigning participants to experimental roles and the according payment prospects, participants seem to receive “manna from heaven.” In our view, this seriously questions the validity of laboratory findings. We depart from this by auctioning off player roles via the incentive...

The authors in this work evaluate the challenges for economic policy faced at the turn of the century from various angles. They discuss new empirical evidence on this subject, review new theoretical approaches and consider the consequences for economic policies. (Published in German.)

This volume contains the papers and discussions of the 38th Ottobeuren Seminar on Economics dealing with the subject of experimental economics. It presents several experiments, some of whose results clearly contradict the predictions of traditional economics and thus provide important incentives...

This volume contains the papers and discussions of the 39th Ottobeuren Seminar on Economics dealing with the subject of "market power". The authors deal with numerous issues relevant to the market from a theoretical, empirical, political and legal perspective. This meeting of scholars from...