In this thesis current questions regarding the functionality of liberalized electricity markets are studied addressing different topics of interest in two main directions: market power and competition policy on electricity wholesale markets, and network investments and incentive regulation. The former is studied based on the case of the German electricity market with respect to ex-post market power analysis and ex-ante remedy development. First an optimization model is designed to obtain the competitive benchmark which can be compared to the observed market outcomes between 2004 and 2006. In a second step the horizontal breaking up of dominant firms (divestiture) is simulated applying equilibrium techniques (the classical Cournot approach and the Supply Function Equilibrium approach). The later issue of transmission capacity investment is addressed by highlighting the complexity of network investments in electricity markets and by analyzing a regulatory mechanism with a two part tariff approach. The technical characteristics of power flows are combined with economic criteria and tested for different network settings.

Utilizando la especificación de Generalized Leas Square (GLS) de los modelos de efectos fijos, este trabajo analiza el efecto de la concentración de mercado sobre las rentabilidades en relación con los depósitos para las entidades integrantes de la banca múltiple durante el periodo 2010-2011. La literatura ha evaluado ampliamente esta relación; no obstante, el análisis desde un enfoque de los depósitos financieros ha sido nulo. La relevancia de las hipótesis del paradigma Estructura-Conducta-Resultado, ha sido refutada en esta investigación. Los resultados sugieren que, dado el comportamiento propio de los depósitos bancarios, la concentración de la industria no tiene un impacto positivo sobre los retornos, es decir, no incrementan las ganancias. / Using the Generalized Leas Square (GLS) specification of fixed effects models, this paper analyzes the effect of market concentration on returns on deposits for commercial banks during the period 2010-2011. The literature has extensively evaluated this relationship; however, the analysis from a financial deposits approach has been null. The relevance of the hypotheses of the Structure-Conduct-Performance paradigm has been refuted in this research. The results suggest that, given the behavior of bank deposits, industry concentration does not have a positive impact on returns, i.e., it does not increase profits. / Trabajo de investigación

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The Diploma thesis ,Selected aspects of the retail supplier-purchaser relations' defines British grocery retailing. It presents government bodies which regulate retail industry and important independent not-for-profit organizations which have a strong influence on the market situation. It introduces the reader into legislation which regulates supplier-purchaser relations, particularly the Supermarket Code of Practice and its revised version the Groceries Supply Code of Practice. The analytical part examines the British market at the macroeconomical level, outlines the grocery retailing structure, describes the supply chain, customer behaviour, points out certain pricing and product policy trends and presents subjects which are bonded by the provisions set out in the Groceries Supply Code of Practice. The findings on local market competition and barriers which prevent the entry by a competitor are of a high significance as well. Despite the introduction of legal regulation the supplier-purchaser relations remain unequal and unfair. The thesis proposes a forecast of possible future grocery market development in the United Kingdom.

The US airline industry is going through a period of consolidation through mergers between leading airlines. A number of recent mergers have been approved by the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice (DOJ) based on the presence of Southwest Airlines in merger-affected markets. In doing so, the DOJ makes a key assumption that Southwest is unresponsive to the reduced competition when its competitors merge. We find that Southwest raised fares more in markets where Delta/Northwest and US/America-West used to operate jointly between 2005-2010. However, Southwest's fares either decreased or rose by less if facing direct or adjacent competition from a low-cost carrier (LCC). Furthermore, Southwest is now merging with AirTran Airways, its biggest LCC competitor. This implies that the DOJ should not rely on Southwest Airlines as a post-merger deterrent to fare increases. / Graduation date: 2012

在保險市場中，保險商品主要透過保險經紀人、保險代理人以及保險人所掌握的直接通路予以販售，特別是在大型商業財產及責任保險的行銷通路上，保險經紀人扮演了舉足輕重的角色。本論文主要是以商業財產及責任保險市場為研究重心，並由經濟觀點探討保險經紀人的仲介角色、市場競爭態勢、報酬結構以及業務安排方式等，同時以保險監理的角度檢討保險經紀行業存在的誠信自律、利益衝突以及客戶公平對待等問題。 不同於保險代理人，保險經紀人係基於保單持有人之利益為其安排保險。因此，保險經紀人必須透過多家保險人提供報價的方式，從中選擇價格及條件最佳者做為保險業務安排之對象；換言之，誠實的報價程序，方足以保障客戶之利益並維繫保險市場的健全。然而國外近年發生的大型保險經紀人與部分保險人共謀提供不實之報價事件，不僅嚴重影響到保單持有人的權益，更引發了對於保險經紀人不當市場力量運用以及或有佣金（contingent commissions）制度存廢的廣泛討論。2004年10月14日紐約州總檢察官Eliot Spitzer向紐約州最高法院針對全球最大保險經紀商Marsh & McLennan及部分保險人所涉及的投標詐欺、操縱價格、收受保險公司或有佣金等三大罪狀提出了民事訴訟。此案例不僅使得涉案公司付出鉅額賠償，更暴露出大型保險經紀人公司存在已久的市場壟斷、價格操控、利益衝突等問題。 對照於英、美等國在保險經紀人制度方面的成熟與發達，我國在此方面尚屬新興發展階段，所謂他山之石可以攻錯，借重先行者的經驗，不僅可以避免重蹈覆轍，更可加快成長的腳步；在全球化的浪潮衝擊之下，保險經紀市場唯有與國際充分接軌，並健全相關制度，才能為國內保險市場的業務成長，帶來蓬勃生機，並立下永續發展的堅固磐石。 / In the insurance market, policies are sold through direct channels controlled by insurance companies or intermediaries, such as brokers and agents. Brokers play a vital role in the property & casualty insurance market and serving commercial clients with complex and large exposures. This report focusing on the commercial property & casualty insurance market, we look at the economic performance by brokers, the competitive structure of the marketplace, the compensation arrangements for brokers, and the placement with insurers. Furthermore, we also from regulators’ point of view to study and review a variety of issues, such as the ethics and conduct , conflict of interest, treating customers fairly, which are raised from insurance brokers industry. In contrast to captive agents, brokers act on behalf of the insured, for this circumstance, the role of the brokers is to increase price and coverage competitiveness, by providing the customers access to a wider range of possible insurers. Clearly the integrity of the bidding process is very important to protect the interest of customers and to the health of the insurance brokers market. Unfortunately, the integrity of the placement process by brokers has been questioned due to the allegations of bid rigging in which one or more global brokers and a few insurers appear to have conspired to submit non-competitive bids. This anti-competitive practice is not only detrimental to the customers but also cause public concerned that too much market power lead to abuses by brokers and that contingent commissions should be abolished. On October 14, 2004, New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer filed suit against Marsh & McLennan alleging that the insurance brokers engaged in bid rigging and received widespread kickbacks from insurance companies. On January 31, 2005, Marsh agreed to pay $850 million in restitution to buyers as part of an agreement to settle the suit, but lawsuits still in progress. The above-mentioned case has revealed conflict of interest, anti-competitive and market manipulation for meg-brokers, in fact, these problems existed for a long time. Comparing with US and UK insurance brokers market, Taiwan is belong to emerging market, to gain knowledge of pioneer’s developing experience, we could shorten the time to get more progress. When we deal with the globalization challenge, local insurance broker market should be complied with international practices, improve relative rules and regulations is also necessary, once above situations are available, it could help domestic insurance market rapid and healthy growth.

Submitted by RODRIGO DE HOLANDA SCHMIDT (rodrigohs1979@gmail.com) on 2018-01-17T18:29:25Z No. of bitstreams: 1 PROJETO Posdefesa Versão FINAL.pdf: 1906537 bytes, checksum: 3b5e67507ea1b0d7bda550480252ae26 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Janete de Oliveira Feitosa (janete.feitosa@fgv.br) on 2018-01-18T18:30:52Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 PROJETO Posdefesa Versão FINAL.pdf: 1906537 bytes, checksum: 3b5e67507ea1b0d7bda550480252ae26 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-01-30T12:08:34Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 PROJETO Posdefesa Versão FINAL.pdf: 1906537 bytes, checksum: 3b5e67507ea1b0d7bda550480252ae26 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-11-30 / Purpose – The aim of this study was to comprehend the main determinant factors for vertical integration in the pulp and paper sector in Brazil, from a perspective of pulp manufacturers. Design/methodology – The research adopted a qualitative approach, through a multiple case study with three of the main companies in the pulp and paper sector in Brazil. The data collection was done through semi-structured interviews of executives of the selected companies. Findings – The main competitive advantage arises from the vertical integration backward, of the pulp mill towards the forestry. The main factors for this are the exercise of the market power of oligopoly by the pulp companies, assurance of supply of their main input, the wood, asset specificity of site, shortening the distance between the forest and the pulp mill, and mitigation of uncertainty. There is tapered integration of pulp mill and forestry, mainly due the use of advantages of site specificity of forest producers near the mill, the need to mitigate social risks and to develop a mature market for the commercialization of wood in the country. Research limitations – The main limitation of this work is the fact that the pulp sector is a concentrated oligopoly, with few companies, which restricts the diversity and number of respondents. Practical implications – The results can be applied to organizations in the pulp and paper sector, as well as to other capital-intensive industries with high dependence on a particular raw material. Originality– To our knowledge, this is the first study about vertical integration in the pulp and paper sector in Brazil. / Objetivo – Este estudo pretende compreender os principais determinantes para a integração vertical no setor de papel e celulose no Brasil, a partir de uma perspectiva das fabricantes de celulose. Metodologia – A pesquisa seguiu uma abordagem qualitativa, por meio de estudo de casos múltiplos com três das principais empresas do setor de papel e celulose do Brasil. A coleta de dados foi feita por meio de entrevistas semiestruturadas de executivos das empresas selecionadas. Resultados – A principal vantagem competitiva verificada se deu na integração vertical realizada à montante pela fábrica de celulose, em direção à produção florestal. Os principais fatores para isso foram o exercício do poder de mercado de oligopólio pelas empresas de celulose, a garantia de fornecimento do seu insumo principal, a madeira, a especificidade de local dos ativos, dada pela proximidade necessária entre a floresta e a unidade de celulose, e a mitigação da incerteza. A integração vertical entre fábrica de celulose e produção florestal é realizada de forma parcial, principalmente devido ao aproveitamento de vantagens de localização de produtores florestais próximos à fabrica, à necessidade de mitigar riscos sociais e de desenvolver um mercado maduro de comercialização de madeira no país. Limitações – A principal limitação deste trabalho é o fato do setor de celulose ser um oligopólio concentrado, com poucas empresas, o que restringe a diversidade e o número de entrevistados. Aplicabilidade do trabalho – Os resultados obtidos podem ser aplicados às organizações do setor de papel e celulose, bem como a outras indústrias de capital intensivo e com alta dependência de uma matéria-prima em especial. Originalidade – Pelo que conhecemos, é o primeiro trabalho sobre integração vertical no setor de papel e celulose no Brasil.

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數位時代孕育大數據技術的發展並帶動產業的創新，使用者數據的運用也日益活躍於商業領域，並分別為消費者與事業帶來便利的生活與競爭優勢。然而蒐集、處理、運用等數據價值鏈活動對於市場競爭造成相當的影響，也成為事業為反競爭行為的誘因，而引起競爭法的關注，多國競爭執法機關亦已陸續展開調查或進行相關研究。由於使用者數據涉及個人資訊隱私，更因其係產業創新的動力之一，從而競爭法管制的合適性與必要性一直為爭議性議題，後續延伸出對於現有競爭法架構的相容性疑義。本文透過文獻與案例分析，從使用者數據的特色出發，探討使用者數據於競爭法框架下之爭議，包含與隱私法規的競合問題及衝擊現行制度之因應方式。基於競爭法適度管制的觀點，提出可能評估市場力量的方式與使用者數據可能形成的限制競爭或不公平競爭之風險類型。冀望對於我國公平交易法就此議題之剖析與因應有所助益，迎接數據經濟的浪潮。 / Big data analytics technology evolves rapidly and enhances the pace of the innovation of industries in the digital era. Utilizing user data, which is a sort of valuable assets, becomes more popular in business. The new technology brings consumers fitted products and convenience and creates competitive advantages to firms. However, collecting, processing and analyzing large sets of user data not only benefit the entities in the market but also impact market competition. Competition agencies around the world have engaged in related investigations and research on data and competition. The mainly concerns are whether the amount of user data may build a barrier to entry, and whether firms which control user data in a massive amount or essential to competition may have incentives to abuse their market power to foreclose marker. Moreover, because user data is one factor of fostering innovation and has a strong correlation with privacy, the suitability and the necessity of competition law to regulate data issue is still controversial. If competition law intervenes, we should further consider how to adapt it to the present regulation. By reviewing academic literature and practical cases, this thesis begins with the introduction of characteristics of user data, followed by the analysis of the controversy concerning user data under the framework of competition law, including the trade-off between it and privacy laws and possible adjustment to the present framework. This paper also discusses the way to assess market power and specific types of anticompetitive and unfair competition behaviors. Finally, this thesis concludes with a short remark. Hopefully it can provide some references for further discussion on this issue under the Fair Trade Act in Taiwan.