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Using accounting data in cartel damage calculations: blessing or menace?

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  • Johannes Paha

Abstract

Standard methods for calculating cartel-damage rely on data of prices charged and quantity sold. Such data may not easily be available. In this paper, it is shown that accounting data can be used for computing a lower bound for cartel-damage. Previous literature indicates that economic profits can hardly be inferred from accounting data. Therefore, it is shown under which econometrically testable assumptions on accounting costs a meaningful lower bound for cartel-damage can consistently be estimated when using accounting data. However, the aggregation-level and the publication-frequency of accounting data pose a challenge to the estimation of cartel-damage. A further challenge is to appropriately reflect the strength respectively effectiveness of the collusive agreement in the specification of any such estimation. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2012

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  • Johannes Paha, 2012. "Using accounting data in cartel damage calculations: blessing or menace?," European Journal of Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 34(2), pages 241-263, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:ejlwec:v:34:y:2012:i:2:p:241-263
    DOI: 10.1007/s10657-011-9253-8
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    Cited by:

    1. Katsoulacos, Yannis & Motchenkova, Evgenia & Ulph, David, 2020. "Combining cartel penalties and private damage actions: The impact on cartel prices," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Cartel damages; Accounting data; Collusion; Cartel prosecution; D43; L12; L13; L41;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C22 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Time-Series Models; Dynamic Quantile Regressions; Dynamic Treatment Effect Models; Diffusion Processes
    • L12 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Monopoly; Monopolization Strategies
    • 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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