Univ., Diss--Frankfurt

This paper employs firm-level panel data of 57 incumbent and entrant firms for 23 European countries in the decade from 2003 to 2012. We examine the impact of service- and facility-based competition on firm level investment as well as the strategic effects underlying infrastructure investment decisions. At the same time we explicitly model the structural dynamics of broadband investment using dynamic panel estimation techniques. We find that facility-based competition exerts a positive and significant impact on both incumbents and entrants implying that incumbents' and entrants' investment decisions are strategic complements. Moreover, this strategic complementarity is much more pronounced with respect to the entrants. Finally, we show that service-based competition appears to have no significant impact on the investment decision of incumbents and entrants and that there is no supportive evidence for the so-called "ladder of investment" hypothesis. With respect to the later phase of market regulation, service-based competition exerts a negative impact on entrants' investment. (authors' abstract) / Series: Working Papers / Research Institute for Regulatory Economics

Universiẗat, Diss--Göttingen, 2007.

Zugl.: Reichartshausen, European Business School, Diss., 2008. / Hergestellt on demand.

Zugl.: Frankfurt (Main), University, Diss. / Hergestellt on demand.

Diss. Wirtsch.-wiss. St. Gallen, 2001 ; Nr. 2454. / Literaturverz.

Diss. Univ. St. Gallen, 2007 ; Nr. 3369. / Literaturverz.

Der vorliegende Beitrag knüpft an die in Potsdam seit 2001 durchgeführte Langzeitstudie an und untersucht die aktuelle Situation auf dem formellen Beteiligungsmarkt in Deutschland nach dem Ausbruch der Finanzkrise. Neben den allgemeinen Gegebenheiten des Marktes werden vor allem die Finanzierungsbedingungen sowie das Investitionsverhalten einzelner Beteiligungsgesellschaften analysiert. In den Jahren 2008 - 2009 zeigt sich einerseits eine weitestgehend unveränderte Struktur der Refinanzierungsquellen. Privatpersonen und Banken sowie der öffentliche Sektor nehmen weiterhin einen hohen Stellenwert ein. Andererseits werden deutliche Veränderungen der strukturellen Merkmale, wie auch im Investitionsverhalten einzelner Beteiligungsgesellschaften deutlich. Besonders auffällig für die Branche sind das Rationalisierungsbestreben beim Einsatz von Investmentmanagern sowie die zunehmende Spätphasenspezialisierung. Aus dem festgestellten Konsolidierungs- und Reifeprozess erwächst die Herausforderung und offene Frage, wie der Markt eine solche strukturelle Angebotslücke im Frühphasensegment begegnen will. Auch das Einwerben neuer Finanzmittel sowie die aktuellen Exit-Bedingungen werden in der vorliegenden Studie kritisch beleuchtet. Als ein reizvolles Instrument zur Reduzierung der aufgezeigten Problemfelder wird dabei die aktuell unterentwickelte Syndizierung von Beteiligungsinvestitionen angesehen. Die effizientere Ausgestaltung derartiger Finanzierungsstrukturen sollte dazu beitragen, dass das private Beteiligungskapital künftig stärker bei der Transformation betrieblicher Forschung und Entwicklung zum Einsatz gelangt. / This paper presents another in a continuing research program initiated at the University of Potsdam in 2001. The current study surveys the current status of the German private equity market. The effects of the financial crisis generally, especially their consequences for the financial conditions and investment strategies of private equity firms are examined. On the one hand, the paper observes little change in the refinancing structure during 2008-2009. Private individuals, banks and the public sector still play an important role. On the other hand, changes in structural characteristics of the investment companies as well as in their investment behaviors are significant. Most noticeable are attempts to reduce human resource costs and a shift towards greater late-stage investment. Apparent consolidation and developing maturity portend a future challenge, to ameliorate an emerging structural supply gap in earlystage segment. In addition, the paper critically examines the current condition of fundraising activities and exit conditions. Syndication, though underdeveloped at present, might offer one way to address these troubling issues. More efficient financing structures should allow private equity to play an increasing role in the commercial transformation of corporate research and development.

It is well-known that taxes affect risky investment decisions. Analytical studies indicate that tax rate increases (decreases) can foster (hinder) investment if there is flexibility, in particular when an exit option is available. We design an experiment based on an analytical model with binomial random walk and entry and exit flexibility. Contrasting the underlying model, we find accelerated investment, which is often considered as an increased willingness to invest, on tax rate increases to be independent of the existence of an exit option. However, we observe this investor reaction only for a tax increase, not for a tax decrease. This behavior is driven possibly by tax salience and the mechanisms known from the theory of irreversible choice under uncertainty. Our empirical evidence suggests that the at-first-sight unexpected tax reform effects are more common than is predicted by the theoretical literature. Policy makers should therefore carefully consider the behavioral aspects when anticipating taxpayer reactions. (authors' abstract) / Series: WU International Taxation Research Paper Series

The growing dissatisfaction with perceived distributional inequality and budgetary constraints gave rise to a discussion on the (re-)introduction of wealth taxes. Wealth taxes are typically levied on private wealth, in some countries also on corporate wealth. To avoid misleading statements concerning possible distributional consequences of wealth taxes, preceding analyses of the economic and particularly investment effects are necessary. As investments drive job creation, tax-induced changes in investment timing may significantly affect the income and wealth distribution. We analyze the impact of wealth taxes on investment timing under uncertainty and irreversibility and the propensity to carry out risky projects. Using a Dixit/Pindyck type real options model we find that wealth taxes have real effects. This means that higher wealth tax rates can either stimulate or depress the propensity to invest in risky projects. We find that apparently paradoxical wealth tax effects (accelerated investment due to higher wealth tax rates) are more likely for low interest rates and for high-risk investments. Using either historical cost or fair value accounting may affect investment timing ambiguously. Thus, the design of wealth taxes is crucial for the resulting delay or acceleration of investment. Although our model takes an individual perspective, our findings are also relevant for the current tax policy discussion on the introduction of wealth taxes. Our results indicate that wealth taxes are particularly harmful for specific classes of investments, for example low-risk investments. (authors' abstract) / Series: WU International Taxation Research Paper Series