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The Coordinated Effects of Mergers in Differentiated Products Markets

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  • Kühn, Kai-Uwe

Abstract

The Paper addresses the issue of coordinated effects of mergers in the framework of a differentiated products model. Firms? assets are product varieties that can be sold individually or entirely transferred to another firm in a merger. We show that under symmetric optimal punishment schemes the highest feasible collusive price declines from any asset transfer to the largest firm as long as the size of the smallest firm is unchanged. In contrast, for fully optimal punishment schemes the prices of firms that get larger increase and those of firms that get smaller decrease. In all cases, however, mergers are unprofitable unless the length of product lines is very asymmetric. We discuss the implications of the analysis for merger policy.

Suggested Citation

  • Kühn, Kai-Uwe, 2004. "The Coordinated Effects of Mergers in Differentiated Products Markets," CEPR Discussion Papers 4769, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:4769
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Brito, Duarte & Ribeiro, Ricardo & Vasconcelos, Helder, 2018. "Quantifying the coordinated effects of partial horizontal acquisitions," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 110(C), pages 108-149.
    2. Simon Loertscher & Leslie M. Marx, 2021. "Coordinated Effects in Merger Review," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 64(4), pages 705-744.
    3. Kai-Uwe Kühn, 2005. "Collusion Theory in Search of Robust Themes: A Comment on Switgard Feuerstein's Survey," Journal of Industry, Competition and Trade, Springer, vol. 5(3), pages 207-215, December.
    4. Stöhr, Annika & Noskova, Victoriia & Kunz-Kaltenhäuser, Philipp & Gänßle, Sophia & Budzinski, Oliver, 2019. "Happily ever after? Vertical and horizontal mergers in the U.S. media industry," Ilmenau Economics Discussion Papers 126, Ilmenau University of Technology, Institute of Economics.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Collusion; Product lines; Mergers; Coordinated effects; Joint dominance;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D43 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - Oligopoly and Other Forms of Market Imperfection
    • K21 - Law and Economics - - Regulation and Business Law - - - Antitrust Law
    • L13 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Oligopoly and Other Imperfect Markets
    • L41 - Industrial Organization - - Antitrust Issues and Policies - - - Monopolization; Horizontal Anticompetitive Practices

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