This paper analyses the effects of a downstream merger in a differentiated duopoly under price competition and plant-specific unions. We show, in contrast with the preceding literature, that the standard welfare results may be reversed: a downstream merger may increase consumer surplus and...

This paper analyses the effects of a downstream merger in a differentiated duopoly under price competition and firm-specific unions. In contrast with the acquired wisdom, we show that a downstream merger may increase overall welfare when products are sufficienly substitutes and unions are...

The present study analyses the effects of an increase in the share of crossownership in a Cournot duopoly with firm-specific monopolistic unions. Since the cross-participation at ownership level implies a lower degree of competition, then in a duopoly without unions, as expected, consumer...

The present paper analyses the effects on social welfare of a partial crossparticipation at ownership level in a differentiated Cournot duopoly. We show that cross-participation, despite the fact it appears as an anti-competitive practice which reduces the degree of market competition, may...

This research contributes to the theory of cost-reducing R&D investments by offering a tractable three-stage non-cooperative Cournot duopoly game in which R&D-investing firms choose whether to disclose R&D-related information to the rival. Though in a noncooperative context firms have no...