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Anti- versus Pro-Competitive Mergers

Author

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  • Fridolfsson, Sven-Olof

    (Research Institute of Industrial Economics)

Abstract

In a framework where mergers are mutually excluding, I show that firms pursue anti- rather than (alternative) pro-competitive mergers. Potential outsiders to anti-competitive mergers refrain from pursuing pro-competitive mergers if the positive externalities from anti-competitive mergers are strong enough. Potential outsiders to pro-competitive mergers pursue anti-competitive mergers if the negative externalities from the pro-competitive mergers are strong enough. Potential participants in anti-competitive mergers are cheap targets due to the risk of becoming outsiders to pro-competitive mergers. Firms may even pursue an unprofitable and anti-competitive merger, when alternative mergers are profitable and pro-competitive.

Suggested Citation

  • Fridolfsson, Sven-Olof, 2007. "Anti- versus Pro-Competitive Mergers," Working Paper Series 694, Research Institute of Industrial Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:hhs:iuiwop:0694
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Farrell, Joseph & Shapiro, Carl, 1990. "Horizontal Mergers: An Equilibrium Analysis," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 80(1), pages 107-126, March.
    2. Sven-Olof Fridolfsson, 2007. "A Consumer Surplus Defense in Merger Control," Contributions to Economic Analysis, in: The Political Economy of Antitrust, pages 287-302, Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
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    Cited by:

    1. Fumagalli, Eileen & Vasconcelos, Helder, 2009. "Sequential cross-border mergers," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 27(2), pages 175-187, March.
    2. Oliver Budzinski & Jürgen-Peter Kretschmer, 2016. "Implications of Unprofitable Horizontal Mergers: A Positive External Effect Does Not Suffice To Clear A Merger!," Contemporary Economics, University of Economics and Human Sciences in Warsaw., vol. 10(1), March.
    3. Eileen Fumagalli & Tore Nilssen, 2019. "Sweetening the Pill: a Theory of Waiting to Merge," Journal of Industry, Competition and Trade, Springer, vol. 19(3), pages 351-388, September.
    4. Oliver Budzinski & Jürgen-Peter Kretschmer, 2007. "Implications of Unprofitable Horizontal Mergers: A Re-Interpretation of the Farrell-Shapiro-Framework," Marburg Working Papers on Economics 200714, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Faculty of Business Administration and Economics, Department of Economics (Volkswirtschaftliche Abteilung).
    5. Fumagalli, Eileen & Nilssen, Tore, 2008. "Waiting to Merge," Memorandum 13/2008, Oslo University, Department of Economics.
    6. Budzinski, Oliver & Kretschmer, Jürgen-Peter, 2015. "Unprofitable horizontal mergers, external effects, and welfare," Ilmenau Economics Discussion Papers 96, Ilmenau University of Technology, Institute of Economics.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Anti- and Pro-Competitive Mergers; Consumers Welfare; Coalition Formation; Endogenous Split of Surplus;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • 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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