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Organising Competition for the Market

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  • Elisabetta Iossa
  • Patrick Rey
  • Michael Waterson

Abstract

We study competition for the market in a setting where incumbents (and, to a lesser extent, neighbouring incumbents) benefit from a cost or information advantage. We first compare the outcome of staggered and synchronous tenders, before drawing the implications for market design. We find the timing of tenders interrelates with the likelihood of monopolisation. For high incumbency advantages and/or discount factors, monopolisation is expected, in which case synchronous tendering is preferable as it strengthens the pressure that entrants exercise on the monopolist. For low incumbency advantages and/or discount factors, other firms remain active, in which case staggered tendering is preferable as it maximises competitive pressure coming from the other firms. We use bus tendering in London to illustrate our insights and draw policy implications.

Suggested Citation

  • Elisabetta Iossa & Patrick Rey & Michael Waterson, 2022. "Organising Competition for the Market," Journal of the European Economic Association, European Economic Association, vol. 20(2), pages 822-868.
  • Handle: RePEc:oup:jeurec:v:20:y:2022:i:2:p:822-868.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/jeea/jvab044
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    1. Keppler, Jan Horst & Quemin, Simon & Saguan, Marcelo, 2022. "Why the sustainable provision of low-carbon electricity needs hybrid markets," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
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    3. Barbosa, Klenio & Boyer, Pierre C., 2021. "Discrimination in Dynamic Procurement Design with Learning-by-doing," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    4. Iossa, Elisabetta & Loertscher, Simon & Marx, Leslie & Rey, Patrick, 2020. "Collusive Market Allocations," CEPR Discussion Papers 14563, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    5. Bru, Lluís & Cardona, Daniel & Sákovics, József, 2023. "Block sourcing plus," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 305(3), pages 1130-1140.
    6. Spiegel, Alisa & Coletta, Attilio & Severini, Simone, 2022. "The distortive effect of organic payments: An example of policy failure in the case of hazelnut plantation," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D44 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - Auctions
    • D47 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - Market Design
    • H40 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - General
    • H57 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Procurement
    • L43 - Industrial Organization - - Antitrust Issues and Policies - - - Legal Monopolies and Regulation or Deregulation
    • L51 - Industrial Organization - - Regulation and Industrial Policy - - - Economics of Regulation
    • R48 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Transportation Economics - - - Government Pricing and Policy

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