The starting point of the theory of contracts coincides with the Roman era, but the moment related to the strengthening of the contract theory is the "social contract". Another episode relevant to this theory is represented by the trend "institutionalism". The institutional value has...

Despite the rapidly growing volume and economic importance of data in the digital economy, the legal framework for data ownership, access and trade remains incompletely defined in the EU and elsewhere. De facto data ownership dominates and often leads to fragmentation or anti-commons problems in...

We analyse survey data to investigate the main barriers to European cross-border e-commerce. We investigate the determinants of selling online, as well as the frequency and determinants of cross-border e-commerce, and the role of barriers. Large firms, which are part of a group, are more likely...

This paper describes the different forces that shape the market structure of four different 'online platform ecosystems' and the competition between them. The paper focuses on the following categories of platforms, which represent a wide scope of online activities: (i) e-commerce marketplaces;...

The aim of this paper is to explain evidence of unfair practices by online platforms towards business users, particularly SME's. First, using survey data, we show that sellers operating with four different categories of platforms multi-home (marketplaces, app stores, social networks and online...

This report presents evidence on the relationship between online platforms and businesses using these platforms to reach consumers or conduct their operations. First, we review the literature on vertical relationships both from a classic approach and from a multi-sided market perspective....

The significance of data as an economic good in the digital economy quickly raises the question of who owns the data. More specifically, within the context of a data marketplace in which data is being exchanged or traded and where different bundles of rights (property rights) are trans-ferred...

This study investigates a novel consultancy contract mode for condominium management in Taiwan by using transaction cost theory. This study finds that consultancy contracts offer property management companies lower personnel costs and a lower tax burden compared with full-responsibility...

Die Treuhandidee steht allgemein für ein juristisches Konstrukt des Eigentums,das dem Treuhänder nach außen die volle Rechtsstellung eines Eigentümersverleiht, ihm im Innenverhältnis zum Treugeber jedoch mehr oder wenigerstarker Beschränkung unterwirft. In (Ost-)Deutschland erlebte diese...

The Bankruptcy Code accords much more favorable treatment to lessors than to secured lenders, but legal scholars have yet to identify a normative justification for the disparate treatment of the two transaction types. Law-and-economics scholars have written off the lease/loan distinction as...