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Concrete shoes for competition: The effect of the German cement cartel on market price

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  • Hüschelrath, Kai
  • Müller, Kathrin
  • Veith, Tobias

Abstract

We use publicly available price data from the German cement industry to estimate the cartelinduced price increase. We apply two different comparator-based approaches - the 'before and-after' approach and the 'difference-in-differences' approach - and especially study the impact of various assumptions on the transition period from the cartel period to the non-cartel period on the overcharge estimate. We find that the cement cartel led to price overcharges in a range from 20.3 to 26.5 percent depending on model approach and model assumptions.

Suggested Citation

  • Hüschelrath, Kai & Müller, Kathrin & Veith, Tobias, 2012. "Concrete shoes for competition: The effect of the German cement cartel on market price," ZEW Discussion Papers 12-035, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:zewdip:12035
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. John M. Connor, 2008. "Forensic Economics: An Introduction With Special Emphasis On Price Fixing," Journal of Competition Law and Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 4(1), pages 31-59.
    2. James F. Nieberding, 2006. "Estimating overcharges in antitrust cases using a reduced-form approach: Methods and issues," Journal of Applied Economics, Universidad del CEMA, vol. 9, pages 361-380, November.
    3. Joseph E. Harrington, Jr., 2004. "Cartel Pricing Dynamics in the Presence of an Antitrust Authority," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 35(4), pages 651-673, Winter.
    4. Hans W. Friederiszick & Lars-Hendrik Röller, 2010. "Quantification Of Harm In Damages Actions For Antitrust Infringements: Insights From German Cartel Cases," Journal of Competition Law and Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 6(3), pages 595-618.
    5. Joseph E. Harrington, 2004. "Post‐Cartel Pricing During Litigation," Journal of Industrial Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 52(4), pages 517-533, December.
    6. James F. Nieberding, 2006. "Estimating Overcharges in Antitrust Cases Using a Reduced-Form Approach: Methods and Issues," Journal of Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 9(2), pages 361-380, November.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Simon Roberts & Witness Simbanegavi & Thando Vilakazi, 2023. "Cementing regional integration or building walls? Competition, cartels and regional integration in the cement industry in Africa," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 46(2), pages 437-452, February.
    2. Frank Maier-Rigaud & Ulrich Schwalbe, 2013. "Quantification of Antitrust Damages," Working Papers 2013-ECO-09, IESEG School of Management.
    3. F. Maier-Rigaud & R. Inderst & U. Schwalbe, 2013. "Quantifizierung von Schäden durch Wettbewerbsverstöße," Post-Print hal-00845779, HAL.
    4. Lunde, Asger & Sandberg, Rickard & Söderberg, Magnus, 2019. "Calculating the damage of a cartel subject to transition periods: The international uranium cartel in the 1970s," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    5. H. Peter Boswijk & Maurice J. G. Bun & Maarten Pieter Schinkel, 2019. "Cartel dating," Journal of Applied Econometrics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 34(1), pages 26-42, January.
    6. Gösser, Niklas & Moshgbar, Nima, 2020. "Smoothing time fixed effects," DICE Discussion Papers 343, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf Institute for Competition Economics (DICE).
    7. Odenkirchen, Johannes, 2017. "Pricing Behavior of Cartel Outsiders in Incomplete Cartels," VfS Annual Conference 2017 (Vienna): Alternative Structures for Money and Banking 168309, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    8. Willem H. Boshoff & Rossouw van Jaarsveld, 2019. "Recurrent Collusion: Cartel Episodes and Overcharges in the South African Cement Market," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 54(2), pages 353-380, March.
    9. Clark, Robert & Fabiilli, Christopher & Lasio, Laura, 2022. "Collusion in the US generic drug industry," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    10. Hans W. Friederiszick, & Linda Gratz, & Michael Rauber,, 2019. "The impact of EU cartel policy reforms on the timing of settlements in private follow-on damages disputes: An empirical assessment of cases from 2001 to 2015," ESMT Research Working Papers ESMT-19-03, ESMT European School of Management and Technology.
    11. Fink, Nikolaus & Frübing, Stefan, 2015. "Legal and illegal cartels in the European cement industry," ZEW Discussion Papers 15-066, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    12. Doose, Anna Maria, 2013. "Methods for calculating cartel damages: A survey," Ilmenau Economics Discussion Papers 83, Ilmenau University of Technology, Institute of Economics.
    13. Tsay, Wen-Jen, 2021. "Estimating cartel damages with model averaging approaches," International Review of Law and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    14. Hans W. Friederiszick & Linda Gratz & Michael Rauber, 2019. "The impact of EU cartel policy reforms on the timing of settlements in private follow-on damages disputes: An empirical assessment of cases from 2001 to 2015," ESMT Research Working Papers ESMT-19-03_R1, ESMT European School of Management and Technology, revised 25 Jun 2020.
    15. Marcel Boyer & Rachidi Kotchoni, 2015. "How Much Do Cartel Overcharge? (The "Working Paper" Version)," CIRANO Working Papers 2015s-37, CIRANO.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    antitrust policy; cartels; private enforcement; damages; overcharge;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L41 - Industrial Organization - - Antitrust Issues and Policies - - - Monopolization; Horizontal Anticompetitive Practices
    • L61 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Manufacturing - - - Metals and Metal Products; Cement; Glass; Ceramics
    • K21 - Law and Economics - - Regulation and Business Law - - - Antitrust Law

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