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Vertical Integration and Proprietary Information Transfers

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  • John S. Hughes
  • Jennifer L. Kao

Abstract

Suppose that rival downstream producers of a final good contract with the same upstream supplier of an input and, in the process, reveal private information. A vertical merger between the upstream supplier and one of the downstream firms may dissipate the information advantage of the remaining downstream firms. The welfare consequences of such a merger and related information sharing depend on the value of information, the benefits of integration apart from information sharing, and the nature of upstream competition. In this paper, conditions are found under which owners of a vertically integrated firm are better off breaking up into independent firms. This result may explain AT&T's recent spinoff of Lucent Technologies. Further results suggest that a prohibition on information transfers, such as that often proposed by the Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice as a precursor to approving vertical mergers, may actually reduce expected consumer surplus and expected social welfare.

Suggested Citation

  • John S. Hughes & Jennifer L. Kao, 2001. "Vertical Integration and Proprietary Information Transfers," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 10(2), pages 277-299, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jemstr:v:10:y:2001:i:2:p:277-299
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1430-9134.2001.00277.x
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Keith J. Crocker, 1983. "Vertical Integration and the Strategic use of Private Information," Bell Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 14(1), pages 236-250, Spring.
    2. Janssen, M.C.W. & Maasland, E., 1997. "On the Unique D1 Equilibrium in the Stackelberg Model with Asymmetric Information," Other publications TiSEM cb1945aa-057b-48d0-aad2-5, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    3. Demski, Joel S, et al, 1999. "Practices for Managing Information Flows within Organizations," The Journal of Law, Economics, and Organization, Oxford University Press, vol. 15(1), pages 107-131, April.
    4. Vives, Xavier, 1984. "Duopoly information equilibrium: Cournot and bertrand," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 34(1), pages 71-94, October.
    5. Rogerson, William P, 1980. "Aggregate Expected Consumer Surplus as a Welfare Index with an Application to Price Stabilization," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 48(2), pages 423-436, March.
    6. Joseph J. Spengler, 1950. "Vertical Integration and Antitrust Policy," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 58(4), pages 347-347.
    7. Michael A. Salinger, 1988. "Vertical Mergers and Market Foreclosure," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 103(2), pages 345-356.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Charles Thomas, 2011. "The Price Effects of Using Firewalls as an Antitrust Remedy," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 38(2), pages 209-222, March.
    2. repec:spo:wpecon:info:hdl:2441/44gofgf80399mp5fq5q50vv5t6 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. Johannes Boehm & Jan Sonntag, 2023. "Vertical Integration and Foreclosure: Evidence from Production Network Data," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 69(1), pages 141-161, January.
    4. Gilbert, Richard J., 2021. "Separation: A Cure for Abuse of Platform Dominance?," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    5. Allain, Marie-Laure & Chambolle, Claire & Rey, Patrick, 2011. "Vertical Integration, Information and Foreclosure," IDEI Working Papers 673, Institut d'Économie Industrielle (IDEI), Toulouse, revised Nov 2011.
    6. Matthias Hunold & Shiva Shekhar, 2022. "Supply Chain Innovations and Partial Ownership," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 60(1), pages 109-145, February.
    7. Werner Bönte & Lars Wiethaus, 2007. "Knowledge Disclosure and Transmission in Buyer–Supplier Relationships," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 31(4), pages 275-288, December.
    8. repec:hal:wpspec:info:hdl:2441/44gofgf80399mp5fq5q50vv5t6 is not listed on IDEAS
    9. Chrysovalantou Miliou & Emmanuel Petrakis, 2015. "Vertical Integration, Knowledge Disclosure and Decreasing Rival's Cost," Working Papers 1507, University of Crete, Department of Economics.
    10. repec:spo:wpmain:info:hdl:2441/44gofgf80399mp5fq5q50vv5t6 is not listed on IDEAS
    11. Daniel Aobdia, 2015. "Proprietary information spillovers and supplier choice: evidence from auditors," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 20(4), pages 1504-1539, December.
    12. Milliou, Chrysovalantou & Petrakis, Emmanuel, 2012. "Vertical integration, knowledge disclosure and decreasing rival's cost," UC3M Working papers. Economics we1213, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. Departamento de Economía.
    13. repec:hal:spmain:info:hdl:2441/44gofgf80399mp5fq5q50vv5t6 is not listed on IDEAS
    14. James J. Anton & Hillary Greene & Dennis A. Yao, 2006. "Policy Implications of Weak Patent Rights," NBER Chapters, in: Innovation Policy and the Economy, Volume 6, pages 1-26, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    15. Milliou, Chrysovalantou & Petrakis, Emmanuel, 2019. "Vertical integration and knowledge disclosure," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 177(C), pages 9-13.

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