This paper analyses the flexibility decision of firms. In particular we (a) ask whether the flexibility choice is influenced by market structure (concentration, market growth, ...), (b) compare the firms' actual choices with welfare maximising flexibility decisions (c) investigate the...

Eine Welle von Fusionen hat die Weltwirtschaft erfasst. Allein die Dimension der bei Großfusionen genannten Summen, die nicht selten das Bruttoinlandsprodukt von Volkswirtschaften übersteigen, führen zu einem erheblichen Maß an Verunsicherung. Dies wird auch in den Überschriften von...

Im Rahmen des Struktur-Verhaltens-Ergebnis-Ansatz analysiert der vorliegende Aufsatz die Determinanten und die Zyklik der Profite verschiedener Branchen der Ernährungswirtschaft in Deutschland, den USA sowie den Niederlanden. Aus der Schwankung der Profite im Zeitablauf lassen sich, bei...

Substantial increases in retail concentration (particularly in Europe) raise concerns about the welfare implications for consumers. In a formal model, we argue that retailer market power reduces upstream firms incentives to introduce new products. On the basis of a survey of firms in German food...

It is well documented that a large share of new products does not survive their first year in the market. Research reported in this paper examined the relationship between product quality and innovation success. In contrast to existing product innovation literature that focused on industrial...

The last couple of decades have seen an increased retail concentration around the world, particularly in Europe. Views on the welfare implications of this severe change are controversial. Consumers might benefit because larger stores (owned by larger retailer chains) offer more product choices....