The present paper provides first empirical evidence on the relationship between market size and the number of firms in the healthcare industry for a transition economy. We estimate market-size thresholds required to support different numbers of suppliers (firms) for three occupations in the healthcare industry in a large number of distinct geographic markets in Slovakia, taking into account the spatial interaction between local markets. The empirical analysis is carried out for three time periods (1995, 2001 and 2010) which characterise different stages of the transition process. Our results suggest that the relationship between market size and the number of firms differs both across industries and across periods. In particular, we find that pharmacies, as the only completely liberalised market in our dataset, experience the largest change in competitive behaviour during the transition process. Furthermore, we find evidence for correlation in entry decisions across administrative borders, suggesting that future market analysis should aim to capture these regional effects.

The present paper provides first empirical evidence on the relationship between market size and the number of firms in the healthcare industry for a transition economy. We estimate market-size thresholds required to support different numbers of suppliers (firms) for three occupations in the healthcare industry in a large number of distinct geographic markets in Slovakia, taking into account the spatial interaction between local markets. The empirical analysis is carried out for three time periods (1995, 2001 and 2010) which characterise different stages of the transition process. Our results suggest that the relationship between market size and the number of firms differs both across industries and across periods. In particular, we find that pharmacies, as the only completely liberalised market in our dataset, experience the largest change in competitive behaviour during the transition process. Furthermore, we find evidence for correlation in entry decisions across administrative borders, suggesting that future market analysis should aim to capture these regional effects.

A presente pesquisa tem por objetivo preencher algumas lacunas nos estudos sobre a arena eleitoral brasileira. A literatura corrente, ao negligenciar o estudo da organização partidária, acaba por negligenciar questões fundamentais para que se entenda como funciona o processo eleitoral. Neste estudo iremos responder a três questões: Como os partidos brasileiros funcionam? O que explica o número de partidos em nosso sistema partidário? Qual o impacto da organização partidária na decisão de um partido de lançar ou não um candidato em determinada eleição? Pretendemos mostrar que os partidos têm mais vida do que julga grande parte dos estudos sobre nosso sistema político. Essa vida partidária ajuda a entender melhor a coordenação eleitoral que, por sua vez, determina o número de partidos que participam de determinada eleição. / The present research aims to bridge a gap in the studies of the Brazilian electoral arena. The current literature has neglected the study of party organizations and, for that reason, has neglected fundamental questions to understand how the electoral process works. In the present study we will try to answer to three questions: How do Brazilian parties work? What explains the number of parties in our party system? How does party organization impact on the decision of parties to enter or not the electoral contests? We will show that parties have more life than is supposed by much of the studies about our political system. This party life helps us to better understand the electoral coordination, responsible for the actual number of parties in a given election.

A presente pesquisa tem por objetivo preencher algumas lacunas nos estudos sobre a arena eleitoral brasileira. A literatura corrente, ao negligenciar o estudo da organização partidária, acaba por negligenciar questões fundamentais para que se entenda como funciona o processo eleitoral. Neste estudo iremos responder a três questões: Como os partidos brasileiros funcionam? O que explica o número de partidos em nosso sistema partidário? Qual o impacto da organização partidária na decisão de um partido de lançar ou não um candidato em determinada eleição? Pretendemos mostrar que os partidos têm mais vida do que julga grande parte dos estudos sobre nosso sistema político. Essa vida partidária ajuda a entender melhor a coordenação eleitoral que, por sua vez, determina o número de partidos que participam de determinada eleição. / The present research aims to bridge a gap in the studies of the Brazilian electoral arena. The current literature has neglected the study of party organizations and, for that reason, has neglected fundamental questions to understand how the electoral process works. In the present study we will try to answer to three questions: How do Brazilian parties work? What explains the number of parties in our party system? How does party organization impact on the decision of parties to enter or not the electoral contests? We will show that parties have more life than is supposed by much of the studies about our political system. This party life helps us to better understand the electoral coordination, responsible for the actual number of parties in a given election.