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Industry structure and collusion with uniform yardstick competition: Theory and experiments

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  • Dijkstra, Peter T.
  • Haan, Marco A.
  • Mulder, Machiel

Abstract

For an industry that is subject to uniform yardstick regulation, we study cartel stability and the impact of cartels on the regulated price. In a theoretical model, an increase in the number of symmetric firms may facilitate collusion. Our laboratory experiment suggests that this effect is even stronger than what theory predicts. Theory predicts that firm-size heterogeneity hinders collusion, but leads to higher regulated prices if firms do not collude. In a laboratory experiment we find that the first effect is stronger, implying that in a more heterogeneous industry regulated prices are lower.

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  • Dijkstra, Peter T. & Haan, Marco A. & Mulder, Machiel, 2017. "Industry structure and collusion with uniform yardstick competition: Theory and experiments," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 1-33.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:indorg:v:50:y:2017:i:c:p:1-33
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ijindorg.2016.10.001
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    Cited by:

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    3. Jonas Teusch, 2019. "When Efficient Firms Flock Together: Merger Incentives Under Yardstick Competition," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 55(2), pages 237-255, September.
    4. Azacis, Helmuts & Vida, Peter, 2021. "Fighting Collusion: An Implementation Theory Approach," Cardiff Economics Working Papers E2021/19, Cardiff University, Cardiff Business School, Economics Section.
    5. Xiaofeng Xu & Jun Hao & Yirui Deng, 2017. "Industry Interdependence Dynamics and Structure Change Causal Analysis: An Empirical Study on China’s Shipbuilding Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(4), pages 1-19, March.
    6. Palencia-González, Francisco J. & Navío-Marco, Julio & Juberías-Cáceres, Gema, 2020. "Analysis of brand influence in the rockets and feathers effect using disaggregated data," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 52(C).
    7. Dijkstra, Peter T. & Haan, Marco A. & Mulder, Machiel, 2017. "Design of yardstick competition and consumer prices: Experimental evidence," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 261-271.
    8. Matsukawa, Isamu, 2019. "Detecting collusion in retail electricity markets: Results from Japan for 2005 to 2010," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 16-23.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Collusion; Industry structure; Yardstick competition; Experiment;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C73 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - Stochastic and Dynamic Games; Evolutionary Games
    • C92 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Group Behavior
    • L13 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Oligopoly and Other Imperfect Markets
    • L51 - Industrial Organization - - Regulation and Industrial Policy - - - Economics of Regulation

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