Assessing the Impact of Gasoline Sales-Below-Cost Laws on Retail Price and Market Structure: Implications for Consumer Welfare

2013 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 239-254 ◽  
Author(s):  
James W. Peltier ◽  
Mark Skidmore ◽  
George R. Milne
Keyword(s):  
Market Structure ◽  
Consumer Welfare ◽  
Retail Price ◽  
The Impact

Ensuring Competition in the Telecommunication Business Environment in Ghana

2014 ◽  
pp. 73-87
Author(s):  
Stephen E. Armah
Keyword(s):  
Market Structure ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Consumer Welfare ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Regulatory Body ◽  
Telecommunication Sector ◽  
Price Collusion ◽  
The Impact

This chapter investigates the possibility of anti-competitive behavior in the Ghana telecommunication sector and determines exploratorily if there is a need for the enactment of anti-trust laws to protect social welfare. The chapter first evaluates the available relevant literature on the subject, assesses the current situation, evaluates the current market structure, and identifies how market power is affecting consumer welfare. Reviews of available literature and secondary data were conducted to establish the relevant conditions for the applicability of such a law. Next, primary data was collected from stakeholders to solicit views on the impact of market structure on pricing and the need for anti-trust laws. Results suggest the Ghana telecommunication sector is open to “cartelization,” which can result in different forms of price collusion despite the existence of a state regulatory body (The National Communications Authority, NCA). The study highlights the Ghanaian consumers' susceptibility to unfair marketing practices due to the possible absence of pertinent anti-trust legislation.

scholarly journals The Influence of Buyer Power on Supply Chain Pricing with Downstream Competition

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 2924
Author(s):  
Qiu Zhao
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Wholesale Price ◽  
Consumer Welfare ◽  
Retail Price ◽  
Retail Market ◽  
Pricing Decisions ◽  
Buyer Power ◽  
Downstream Competition ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Vertical Market

This paper aims to investigate the impact of buyer power on the wholesale price and retail price of, in the case, downstream competition. Based on a summary of the competitive characteristics of China’s retail market, a model of a vertical market was constructed to examine the influence of buyer power on the pricing decisions of manufacturers and retailers, and to analyze the mechanism of price decisions. The results showed that the buyer power of national retailers reduced the wholesale price, but the impact on local retailers remained uncertain. Although increasing buyer power initially increased the local retailer’s wholesale price and caused the ‘waterbed effect’, we found that this effect reverted when the buyer power reached a point at which the ‘anti-waterbed effect’ appeared. The opposite was true of the retail price. However, buyer power reduced the average retail price, and consumer welfare improved.

Market structure, efficiency and profitability of insurance companies in Ghana

2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 648-669 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdul Latif Alhassan ◽  
George Kojo Addisson ◽  
Michael E. Asamoah
Keyword(s):  
Market Structure ◽  
Life Insurance ◽  
Insurance Industry ◽  
Consumer Welfare ◽  
Insurance Market ◽  
Insurance Companies ◽  
Insurance Markets ◽  
Ample Evidence ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of the regulatory-driven market structure on firm pricing behaviour by testing the structure-conduct-performance (S-C-P) hypothesis for both life and non-life insurance markets in Ghana. Design/methodology/approach – Using a panel data on 14 life and 22 non-life insurers from 2007 to 2011, the authors employed the Herfindahl Hirschman Index and concentration ratio as proxies for the S-C-P hypothesis while efficiency scores were estimated using the data envelopment analysis technique to proxy for the efficient structure (ES) hypothesis. The dependent variable, profitability was measured as return on assets while controlling for size, underwriting risk, leverage, GDP growth rate and inflation. The models were estimated using the panel corrected standard errors of Beck and Katz (1995) and random effects estimations. Findings – The results from the empirical estimation provide ample evidence in support for ES hypothesis for both life and non-life insurance markets. While conflicting results was found for SCP hypothesis in the non-life insurance market, it was rejected in the life insurance market. The findings also point to an increasing level of competition in both life and non-life insurance industry in Ghana though they still remain concentrated with the life insurance sector having high levels of efficiency compared to the non-life sector. Practical implications – The findings of the study will enhance the understanding of firm behaviour in the new markets created to shape regulatory and competition policies of the regulator to promote consumer welfare while ensuring a stable industry to enhance its role in economic development. Originality/value – This is the first study to test the market power and efficient hypotheses on the insurance industry in Ghana. To the best of the author’s knowledge, this study is the first to examine the determinants of profitability in the non-life insurance market.

Interrelationship Among Competition, Diversification and Liquidity Creation: Evidence from Indian Banks

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 183-204
Author(s):  
Pankaj Sinha ◽  
Naina Grover
Keyword(s):  
Inverse Relationship ◽  
Consumer Welfare ◽  
Adverse Impact ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Jel Codes ◽  
Trade Off ◽  
Private Banks ◽  
Indian Banks ◽  
The Impact

This study analyses the impact of competition on liquidity creation by banks and investigates the dynamics between diversification, liquidity creation and competition for banks operating in India during the period from 2005 to 2018. Using the broad and narrow measures of liquidity creation, an inverse relationship is determined between liquidity creation and competition. The study also indicates a trade-off between pro-competitive policies to improve consumer welfare and the liquidity-destroying effects of competition, and it highlights how diversification affects liquidity creation. Highly diversified banks in India create less liquidity compared with less-diversified banks, both public and private. The liquidity-destroying effects of competition is intensified among highly diversified private banks, which suggest that diversification has not moderated the adverse impact of competition. JEL Codes: G01, G18, G21, G28

Die europäische Agrarpolitik vor dem Hintergrund der Osterweiterung

2003 ◽  
Vol 52 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Reimar von Alvensleben ◽  
Bernhard Brümmer ◽  
Ulrich Koester ◽  
Klaus Frohberg
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Policy ◽  
Consumer Welfare ◽  
World Market ◽  
Market Mechanism ◽  
Niche Markets ◽  
Member States ◽  
Regional Food ◽  
Direct Payments ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Eu

AbstractReimar von Alvensleben asks in his article whether the “Agrarwende” in Germany could be a model for Europe. He argues that the new agricultural policy (the so-called “Agrarwende”), which has been proclaimed and implemented after the German BSE crisis 2000/2001, adds new problems to the already existing problems of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). The strategy of improving international competitiveness of German agriculture by promoting the niche markets for organic food, animal-friendly produced food and regional food is unrealistic and thus neglecting the problem of improving the competitiveness of 85−90% of German agriculture. The criterion of ecological efficiency (How to achieve ecological goals at lowest costs?) is totally neglected in agricultural environmental policy. The strategy of implementing environmental and animal welfare standards by the market mechanism will not lead to reasonable results because of perception distortions of the consumers. As a consequence of distorted perception of food risks by politicians, cost of risk prevention are too high and/or safety and health standards in other less spectaculous areas are too low. For these reasons he concludes that the “Agrarwende” in Germany cannot be regarded as a model for Europe, especially not for Eastern Europe.Bernhard Brümmer and Ulrich Koester write in their paper that the Eastern Enlargement of the EU will have significant implications for governance of the CAP. The evolution of the CAP has led to a permanent increase in the intensity of regulation, although the rate of external protection has declined. Past experience - mainly revealed by the European Court of Auditors - has evidenced many irregularities and even fraud as a by-product of the CAP. Governance problems are due to badly designed policies, which demand control of even individual farms and give the member countries, administrative regions (which are supposed to implement the policies on the local scale) and the individual farms themselves incentives to breach the rules. In their view governance problems will certainly increase in the enlarged EU. The new member countries have a weaker administrative capacity and are subject to more corruption than the present EU countries. Adequate policy reaction should lead to fundamental changes of the CAP.Klaus Frohberg argues that in its Mid Term Review the EU-commission proposes a change in the most important instruments of the CAP. Direct payments and intervention prices belong to this group. In his paper the impact of these changes is discussed. Direct payments shall become decoupled from production and be summarised into a single payment to farmers. In addition, the right of these transfers shall be made tradable independent of a simultaneous exchange of land. With regard to the intervention prices they shall be reduced as to approach world market levels. Assuming that the Member States will confirm the proposals the CAP is expected to improve considerably. Allocation and transfer efficiency will increase, consumer welfare will go slightly up, taxpayers will be little if at all affected and the EU can defend its position in the negotiations of the ongoing WTO round. These advantages accrue to the current as well as to the new Member States. In spite of the improvements the CAP still needs to be enhanced in some areas such as the market organisation of sugar and milk.

The Impact of Structural Reforms and Regulations on the Demand Side in the Railway Industry

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-33
Author(s):  
Fumitoshi Mizutani
Keyword(s):  
Market Structure ◽  
Vertical Integration ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Fixed Effect Model ◽  
Structural Reform ◽  
Estimation Methods ◽  
Public Ownership ◽  
Estimation Model ◽  
Passenger Demand ◽  
The Impact

Abstract The main purpose of this study is to evaluate factors affecting passenger rail demand, with special attention to the effects of structural reform/regulation and competition. In order to do this, we use data obtained from 30 OECD countries for the 24 years from 1990 to 2013. As structural reform/regulation and competition variables, we take the OECD’s five kinds of regulatory indices: (i) overall, (ii) entry, (iii) public ownership, (iv) vertical integration, and (v) market structure; and for competition variables, we take (vi) rail passenger-freight ratio, (vii) rail share, and (viii) high-speed train ratio. As estimation methods, both the fixed effect model and the Hausman-Taylor estimation model are used. The major findings are as follows. First, competition as competitiveness (i.e. the share of rail, passenger over freight ratio) increases passenger demand. And the existence of high-speed trains increases passenger demand. Second, overall, entry regulation, and market structure have no significant effect on demand. Third, public ownership affects passenger demand positively. Last, vertical integration reduces passenger demand.

Implications of Price Matching in Supply Chain Negotiation

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Weixin Shang ◽  
Gangshu (George) Cai
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Social Welfare ◽  
Wholesale Price ◽  
Consumer Welfare ◽  
Problem Definition ◽  
Nash Bargaining ◽  
Price Matching ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Multiple Buyers ◽  
Wholesale Pricing

Problem definition: Few papers have explored the impact of price matching negotiation (PM), in which a channel matches its price with the resulting wholesale price bargained by another channel, on firms’ performances, consumer welfare, and social welfare, with and without supply chain coordination. Academic/practical relevance: Negotiation has been widely seen in determining both uniform and discriminatory wholesale prices, which affect outcomes of competitive supply chain practices. Methodology: To characterize the PM mechanism, we use game theory and Nash bargaining theory to compare PM with simultaneous negotiation (SN) through a common-seller two-buyer differentiated Bertrand competition model. Results: Our analysis reveals that PM can benefit the seller but hurt all buyers, which is at odds with some fair wholesale pricing clauses intending to protect buyers. Under coordination with side payments, however, all firms can conditionally benefit more from PM than from SN. Despite firms’ gains, PM leads to less consumer utility and social welfare compared with SN, unless the second buyer in PM is considerably less powerful than the first buyer. Coordination further worsens PM’s negative impact on consumer utility and social welfare. Moreover, the existence of a spot market can increase the wholesale price in PM, hurting buyers, consumers, and society. Furthermore, the qualitative results about PM remain robust under an alternative disagreement point for PM, multiple buyers, and other extensions. Managerial implications: This paper delivers insights on when price matching in supply chain wholesale price negotiation can benefit a seller, buyers, consumers, and society in a variety of scenarios. It advocates how managers can use PM to their own advantages and provides rationale to decision makers for policy regulations regarding wholesale pricing.

Banking market structure and efficiency: an assessment of the USA and Canada

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Salah U-Din ◽  
David Tripe
Keyword(s):  
Market Structure ◽  
Market Power ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Bank Efficiency ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Frontier Analysis ◽  
Banking Market ◽  
Cost Efficient ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe study aims to analyze the changes in banking market structure and their impact on the bank efficiency.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses a one-stage stochastic frontier analysis (SFA) to compare the impact of the market structure and the GFC on the economic efficiency of the major banks in both countries.FindingsA significant negative impact of the GFC is observed on bank efficiency. Overall, Canadian banks posted better efficiency scores than their American counterparts. Additionally, cost-efficient banks are found to be more resilient to crises and more profit-efficient in the post-GFC period. The authors found that market power had a positive impact on the cost and profit efficiency of banks. Higher levels of equity, market power and concentration helped banks be more cost-efficient.Research limitations/implicationsOnly large banks are selected for study although it represents the majority stake of both banking sectors.Practical implicationsBanking regulators should include more measures to assess the banking market structure and performance.Originality/valueAs per the best knowledge of the authors, it is the first study to assess the change in banking market structure and efficiency of the US and Canadian banking sectors in the post-GFC period.

scholarly journals Consumerism, the Nigeria Experience: Study of the Food and Drink Industries 1980-2012

2013 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 18 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. E. Ndu Oko ◽  
Osuagwu Linus
Keyword(s):  
Consumer Welfare ◽  
High Price ◽  
Marketing Concept ◽  
Specific Interest ◽  
Statistical Tool ◽  
Environmental Standard ◽  
Active Nature ◽  
Standard Solution ◽  
Food And Drink ◽  
The Impact

The work is an evaluation of consumerism activities in Nigeria with specific interest in the food and drink industries. It considered the growth and challenges to consumerism, the impact of the non-active nature of consumerism on the health and environmental standard of the country. Data generated based on the use of sets questionnaire were analyzed using analysis of variance statistical tool. Findings include that the inactive nature of consumerism in Nigeria contributes significantly to the exploitative attitude of manufacturers, explicitly through high price of products and implicitly by the debasement of the environment through improper management of residues (waste), resulting to poor health and environmental standard. Solution among others is that firms by suasion should be encouraged to adopt marketing concept philosophies, principles, policies and strategies for the maximization of corporate goal, consumer welfare (satisfaction) and macro economic development of the society.

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