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Merger Policy in Digital Industries

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  • Cabral, Luis

Abstract

I present a cautionary note on the proposal to tighten merger policy in the high-tech space. The discouragement effect on innovation could be significant. This is not to say that increased policy enforcement is not called for. On the contrary. My point is that it should primarily take the form of checking for abuses of dominant position, tightening consumer protection, and directly regulating dominant firms.

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  • Cabral, Luis, 2020. "Merger Policy in Digital Industries," CEPR Discussion Papers 14785, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:14785
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Joshua S. Gans & David H. Hsu & Scott Stern, 2002. "When Does Start-Up Innovation Spur the Gale of Creative Destruction?," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 33(4), pages 571-586, Winter.
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    Cited by:

    1. Jullien, Bruno & Sand-Zantman, Wilfried, 2021. "The Economics of Platforms: A Theory Guide for Competition Policy," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    2. Katz, Michael L., 2021. "Big Tech mergers: Innovation, competition for the market, and the acquisition of emerging competitors," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    3. Han Yuan, 2020. "Competing for Time: A Study of Mobile Applications," 2020 Papers pyu309, Job Market Papers.
    4. Pauline Affeldt & Reinhold Kesler, 2021. "Competitors’ Reactions to Big Tech Acquisitions: Evidence from Mobile Apps," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 1987, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.
    5. Zhijun Chen & Chongwoo Choe & Jiajia Cong & Noriaki Matsushima, 2022. "Data‐driven mergers and personalization," RAND Journal of Economics, RAND Corporation, vol. 53(1), pages 3-31, March.
    6. Geoffrey Parker & Georgios Petropoulos & Marshall Van Alstyne, 2021. "Platform mergers and antitrust," Working Papers 43276, Bruegel.
    7. Chiara Fumagalli & Massimo Motta & Emanuele Tarantino, 2020. "Shelving or developing? The acquisition of potential competitors under financial constraints," Economics Working Papers 1735, Department of Economics and Business, Universitat Pompeu Fabra.
    8. Igor Letina & Armin Schmutzler & Regina Seibel, 2020. "Killer acquisitions and beyond: policy effects on innovation strategies," ECON - Working Papers 358, Department of Economics - University of Zurich, revised Jul 2023.
    9. Gautier, Axel & Lamesch, Joe, 2021. "Mergers in the digital economy," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    10. Geoffrey Parker & Georgios Petropoulos & Marshall Van Alstyne, 2021. "Platform mergers and antitrust [Ex-post assessment of merger control decisions in digital markets]," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 30(5), pages 1307-1336.
    11. Zhijun Chen & pch346 & Chongwoo Choe & Jiajia Cong & Noriaki Matsushima, 2020. "Data-Driven Mergers and Personalization," Monash Economics Working Papers 16-20, Monash University, Department of Economics.
    12. Koski, Heli & Kässi, Otto & Braesemann, Fabian, 2020. "Killers on the Road of Emerging Start-ups – Implications for Market Entry and Venture Capital Financing," ETLA Working Papers 81, The Research Institute of the Finnish Economy.

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