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Estimating Vertical Foreclosure in U.S. Gasoline Supply

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Author Info

  • Zava Aydemir
  • Stefan Buehler

    () (Socioeconomic Institute, University of Zurich)

Abstract

We examine the competitive effects of the vertical integration of gasoline refineries and retailers in the U.S. Adapting the first-order condition approach of static oligopoly games to the analysis of vertically related oligopolies, we develop a novel framework for directly evaluating the strategic foreclosure effect and the effciency benefits associated with vertical integration. Applying this framework, we find significant evidence for both vertical foreclosure and effciency benefits. The foreclosure effect dominates the effciency benefits for more than half of the refining firms in the sample. Vertical foreclosure is found to increase the wholesale price of refined gasoline by 0.2 to 0.6 cents per gallon.

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File URL: http://www.soi.uzh.ch/research/wp/2002/wp0212.pdf
File Function: First version, 2002
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Bibliographic Info

Paper provided by University of Zurich, Socioeconomic Institute in its series Working Papers with number 0212.

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Length: 38 pages
Date of creation: Nov 2002
Date of revision:
Handle: RePEc:soz:wpaper:0212

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Keywords: vertical integration; separation; foreclosure; market conduct; petroleum industry;

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References

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Citations

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Cited by:
  1. Stefan Buehler & Justus Haucap, 2003. "Strategic Outsourcing Revisited," Working Papers 0305, University of Zurich, Socioeconomic Institute.
  2. Stefan Boes & Rainer Winkelmann, 2006. "Ordered response models," AStA Advances in Statistical Analysis, Springer, vol. 90(1), pages 167-181, March.
  3. Stefan Buehler & Justus Haucap, 2003. "Mobile Number Portability," Working Papers 0303, University of Zurich, Socioeconomic Institute, revised Jul 2003.
  4. Andreas Polk & Armin Schmutzler, 2003. "Lobbying against Environmental Regulation vs. Lobbying for Loopholes," Working Papers 0301, University of Zurich, Socioeconomic Institute.
  5. Peter Zweifel & Harry Telser & Stephan Vaterlaus, 2005. "Consumer Resistance Against Regulation: The Case of Health Care," Working Papers 0505, University of Zurich, Socioeconomic Institute.
  6. Stefan Buehler & Armin Schmutzler, 2003. "Asymmetric Vertical Integration," Working Papers 0306, University of Zurich, Socioeconomic Institute, revised Nov 2004.
  7. Michael Breuer, 2004. "Optimal Insurance Contracts without the Non-Negativity Constraint on Indemnities Revisited," Working Papers 0406, University of Zurich, Socioeconomic Institute.
  8. Simon Loertscher & Yves Schneider, 2005. "Switching Costs, Firm Size, and Market Structure," Diskussionsschriften dp0515, Universitaet Bern, Departement Volkswirtschaft.
  9. Hans Gersbach & Armin Schmutzler, 2004. "Globalization and General Worker Training," Working Papers 0403, University of Zurich, Socioeconomic Institute.
  10. Bühler, Stefan & Schmutzler, Armin, 2003. "Who Integrates?," CEPR Discussion Papers 4066, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
  11. Harry Telser & Karolin Becker & Peter Zweifel, 2004. "Validity and Reliability of Willingness-to-Pay Estimates: Evidence from Two Overlapping Discrete-Choice Experiments," Working Papers 0412, University of Zurich, Socioeconomic Institute, revised Mar 2008.
  12. Harry Telser & Peter Zweifel, 2003. "Validity of Discrete-Choice Experiments - Evidence for Health Risk Reduction," Working Papers 0313, University of Zurich, Socioeconomic Institute, revised Feb 2005.
  13. Michael Breuer, 2003. "Multiple Losses, Ex-Ante Moral Hazard, and the Non-Optimality of the Standard Insurance Contract," Working Papers 0302, University of Zurich, Socioeconomic Institute, revised Apr 2003.
  14. Michael Breuer, 2004. "Deductible or Co-Insurance: Which is the Better Insurance Contract under Adverse Selection?," Working Papers 0401, University of Zurich, Socioeconomic Institute, revised Oct 2004.
  15. Stefan Buehler & Armin Schmutzler, 2005. "On The Role of Access Charges Under Network Competition," Working Papers 0501, University of Zurich, Socioeconomic Institute.

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