A criação da Organização dos Países Exportadores de Petróleo (OPEP) foi um marco para o mercado internacional de petróleo. Para a opinião pública a OPEP é um cartel devido aos choques do petróleo ocorridos na década de 1970, porém na literatura econômica não existe consenso sobre a OPEP ser ou não um cartel. Sob a ótica da teoria dos cartéis, esta pesquisa tem como objetivo evidenciar o papel da OPEP e verificar se a mesma exerce poder de mercado, demonstrando aspectos históricos que desencadearam na sua criação e suas principais ações ao longo do tempo. No primeiro artigo, através de uma análise fundamentada na distinção entre os países da OPEP e os Não-OPEP, foram utilizados indicadores sobre o mercado internacional de petróleo, destacando os principais detentores das reservas provadas, os produtores, os consumidores, a evolução dos preços, o comércio internacional, as emissões de CO2 geradas a partir da combustão do combustível fóssil e a ascensão dos biocombustíveis. Os resultados mostraram que a dotação natural é fator determinante na produção e no comércio internacional de petróleo, e que os países membros da OPEP são altamente dependentes das divisas geradas das exportações de petróleo para sustentação de importações de outros bens. Verificou-se que os países da OPEP vêm aumentando seu consumo interno de petróleo, gerando maiores emissões de CO2, o que reforça ainda mais a dependência do petróleo como principal fonte na matriz energética destes países. Neste cenário, os biocombustíveis vêm ganhando espaço principalmente nos países Não-OPEP. A OPEP é uma Organização formada por países, assim seus objetivos vão além da maximização de lucros. Entretanto, as diferenças macroeconômicas entre os membros relacionadas aos diferentes regimes políticos, com objetivos destoantes de curto e de longo prazo, são fatores limitadores na ação coordenada entre os membros. No segundo artigo desta pesquisa, através do modelo estático da Nova Organização Industrial Empírica (New Empirical Industrial Organization - NEIO) foi identificado o grau de poder de mercado no comércio internacional de petróleo no período de janeiro de 2003 até março de 2015. Os resultados mostraram que o mercado internacional de petróleo está distante da estrutura de monopólio ou cartel perfeito, e não são estatisticamente descartadas as hipóteses de competição via Cournot e de competição perfeita. / The establishment of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) was a historic milestone for the international oil market. For the public opinion the OPEC is considered as a cartel due to the oil shocks in the 1970s, but in the economic literature there is no consensus if OPEC really acts as cartel. However, we use the theory of cartels to highlight the role of OPEC and identify if there is market power exercise in the international oil market. We present historical aspects that led in OPEC creation and its main actions over time. In the first chapter, we use an analysis based on the distinction between the OPEC and non-OPEC countries. We identify the main countries which holds proven reserves, the major producers, consumers, the trend of price, the international trade, the CO2 emissions generated by the fossil fuel combustion and the rise of biofuels production. The results indicate that the natural endowment is a key factor to the production and international trade of oil, and OPEC members are highly dependent on oil exports revenue to sustain other goods imports. OPEC countries increased domestic oil consumption, generating more CO2 emissions, which demonstrates the increase of oil dependency in the energy matrix of these countries. According to the current scenario, the biofuels production has increased mainly in non-OPEC countries. OPEC is an organization formed by countries and their goals are not only to maximize profits, and so, OPEC is a political union that has stability over the years. However, macroeconomic differences among members related to different political regimes with different shortterm and long-term goals that are limiting factors for coordinated action. Therefore, according to the theory of the cartel formation and sustainability, OPEC has difficulties to fix prices or quantity on the international oil market, the Organization does not behave like a cartel most of the time. In the second chapter the static model of the New Empirical Industrial Organization (NEIO) is used to identify the degree of market power in the international oil market during the period from January 2003 to March 2015. The results indicated that the international oil market is not characterized by a cartel, but are not statistically rejected the hypothesis of Cournot competition nor perfect competition.

A criação da Organização dos Países Exportadores de Petróleo (OPEP) foi um marco para o mercado internacional de petróleo. Para a opinião pública a OPEP é um cartel devido aos choques do petróleo ocorridos na década de 1970, porém na literatura econômica não existe consenso sobre a OPEP ser ou não um cartel. Sob a ótica da teoria dos cartéis, esta pesquisa tem como objetivo evidenciar o papel da OPEP e verificar se a mesma exerce poder de mercado, demonstrando aspectos históricos que desencadearam na sua criação e suas principais ações ao longo do tempo. No primeiro artigo, através de uma análise fundamentada na distinção entre os países da OPEP e os Não-OPEP, foram utilizados indicadores sobre o mercado internacional de petróleo, destacando os principais detentores das reservas provadas, os produtores, os consumidores, a evolução dos preços, o comércio internacional, as emissões de CO2 geradas a partir da combustão do combustível fóssil e a ascensão dos biocombustíveis. Os resultados mostraram que a dotação natural é fator determinante na produção e no comércio internacional de petróleo, e que os países membros da OPEP são altamente dependentes das divisas geradas das exportações de petróleo para sustentação de importações de outros bens. Verificou-se que os países da OPEP vêm aumentando seu consumo interno de petróleo, gerando maiores emissões de CO2, o que reforça ainda mais a dependência do petróleo como principal fonte na matriz energética destes países. Neste cenário, os biocombustíveis vêm ganhando espaço principalmente nos países Não-OPEP. A OPEP é uma Organização formada por países, assim seus objetivos vão além da maximização de lucros. Entretanto, as diferenças macroeconômicas entre os membros relacionadas aos diferentes regimes políticos, com objetivos destoantes de curto e de longo prazo, são fatores limitadores na ação coordenada entre os membros. No segundo artigo desta pesquisa, através do modelo estático da Nova Organização Industrial Empírica (New Empirical Industrial Organization - NEIO) foi identificado o grau de poder de mercado no comércio internacional de petróleo no período de janeiro de 2003 até março de 2015. Os resultados mostraram que o mercado internacional de petróleo está distante da estrutura de monopólio ou cartel perfeito, e não são estatisticamente descartadas as hipóteses de competição via Cournot e de competição perfeita. / The establishment of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) was a historic milestone for the international oil market. For the public opinion the OPEC is considered as a cartel due to the oil shocks in the 1970s, but in the economic literature there is no consensus if OPEC really acts as cartel. However, we use the theory of cartels to highlight the role of OPEC and identify if there is market power exercise in the international oil market. We present historical aspects that led in OPEC creation and its main actions over time. In the first chapter, we use an analysis based on the distinction between the OPEC and non-OPEC countries. We identify the main countries which holds proven reserves, the major producers, consumers, the trend of price, the international trade, the CO2 emissions generated by the fossil fuel combustion and the rise of biofuels production. The results indicate that the natural endowment is a key factor to the production and international trade of oil, and OPEC members are highly dependent on oil exports revenue to sustain other goods imports. OPEC countries increased domestic oil consumption, generating more CO2 emissions, which demonstrates the increase of oil dependency in the energy matrix of these countries. According to the current scenario, the biofuels production has increased mainly in non-OPEC countries. OPEC is an organization formed by countries and their goals are not only to maximize profits, and so, OPEC is a political union that has stability over the years. However, macroeconomic differences among members related to different political regimes with different shortterm and long-term goals that are limiting factors for coordinated action. Therefore, according to the theory of the cartel formation and sustainability, OPEC has difficulties to fix prices or quantity on the international oil market, the Organization does not behave like a cartel most of the time. In the second chapter the static model of the New Empirical Industrial Organization (NEIO) is used to identify the degree of market power in the international oil market during the period from January 2003 to March 2015. The results indicated that the international oil market is not characterized by a cartel, but are not statistically rejected the hypothesis of Cournot competition nor perfect competition.

Econometric studies of firm-level behavior are gaining acceptance among some industrial organization economists. This is a potentially useful tool for detecting noncompetitive behavior. Policy makers and antitrust enforcement officials are interested in the results of these studies as they are applied to specific industries to help enforce current antitrust regulations and develop new policies. These New Empirical Industrial Organization (NEIO) econometric behavioral studies typically require detailed price, quantity, and cost data regarding the industry being studied. The models used are derived from the profit maximization problem of individual firms. In spite of this fact, many previous studies have relied on publicly available industry aggregate data, often also aggregated over time to the quarterly or yearly-level. This study investigates the sensitivity of empirical estimates of market power obtained from econometric conjectural variations studies to the level data aggregation used for the analysis. In addition, the sensitivity of the results to model specification is also explored. The focus of this study is on measurement of oligopsony power in the U. S. beef packing/processing industry. Using Monte Carlo techniques, weekly plant or firm-level data are simulated to be representative of the U. S. beef packing industry in two broadly defined geographical procurement regions. To broaden the scope of the experiment, the assumed underlying technology of the beef packing industry is varied across a broad range of possibilities. In addition, alternative assumptions regarding the conduct of industry participants in the live cattle procurement market are imposed on the data generation process. The disaggregate data sets are aggregated over plants and firms to weekly industry aggregates, and over time to quarterly industry aggregates. At each level of aggregation, the data are tested using 3 alternative specifications of an NEIO econometric market power testing model, that differ by functional form. Results of the tests are compared across aggregation levels, and across model specifications. The results reveal that in general the actual size of the test of the null hypothesis of no market power is much higher than the chosen nominal size of the test. The power of the test for market power is quite high. Data aggregation tends to bias the results of tests for market power. In addition, an adequately flexible functional form must be specified to capture the underlying technology of the industry when using econometric methods to test for market power. Therefore, in order to be useful for antitrust policy enforcement, econometric behavioral studies must make use of detailed firm (or plant )-level disaggregate data, and must use carefully specified models. / Ph. D.

The United States acute care hospital (ACH) market provides a unique environment in which to examine questions about market structure and performance. The ACHs operate in a mature market of health services that is highly regulated and has one dominant primary consumer of services. The uncharacteristic industry structure offers the opportunity to analyze pervasive agency relationships and capital structure issues in a new setting. In addition, the policies of the U.S. Government have created an environment in which tacit collusion is likely to flourish, which leads to market buyer power (monopsony, or buyers acting as one monopoly buyer). A key question is the extent to which monopsony and agency affect capital structure decisions. Agency is defined by Ross (1973, p.134) as a relationship formed between a principle and their agents, “when one, designated as the agent, acts for, on behalf of, or as representative for the other, designated the principal, in a particular domain of decision problems.” This thesis extends the agency framework provided by Jensen and Meckling (1976), along with the econometric understanding of monopsony in healthcare via tacit collusion, as suggested by Pauly (1998) and Sevilla (2005), and the research constraints of monopsony under an all-or-nothing contract, as outlined by Taylor (2003). Using data on ACHs from the period of 1995 to 2007 for approximately 5,000 ACHs, which was derived from the Medicare Cost Report and medical payments for a sub-population of 1,500, this research examines the determinants of capital structure in a distorted market. Building upon this initial analysis, the research seeks to examine the effects of market distortions upon free cash flow, and ultimately, capital structure. Two theories of distortion are presented that would affect free cash flow: The first is that of the agency cost of free cash flow and signaling, and the second is a theory of monopsony via tacit collusion between buyers. A model of the agency relationship between ACHs and the U.S. Government is proposed, promoting agency cost (signaling and the agency cost of free cash flows) as a causal relation with free cash flows and capital structure (Jensen & Meckling 1976; Jensen 1986). Empirical models of agency are constructed, examining the dependence on government business and the relation to the leverage (signaling) and free cash flows (agency cost of free cash flows) for ACHs. In addition, a complementary theory of capital structure determinant via market power (monopsony) is formulated, suggesting that monopsony conditions within the ACH market affect free cash flows and capital structure. The analysis provides a framework for understanding the environments in which ACHs operate and the strength of bargaining within the market. The research concludes with a review of the determinants of capital structure in light of the inefficiencies and distortions of the industry and the relationships observed.

Dado o crescente aumento na demanda de etanol combustível, bem como as estratégias de fusões e aquisições entre produtores e distribuidores observadas no Brasil recentemente, muito se tem discutido a respeito do poder de mercado que pode estar sendo, ou pode vir a ser exercido por esses agentes envolvidos na cadeia do produto. Discussões sobre um possível responsável por elevações do preço do produto têm levantado o interesse sobre a existência de poder de mercado por parte dos produtores de etanol, e/ou por parte das distribuidoras de combustíveis. O presente trabalho utiliza o ferramental da Nova Organização Industrial Empírica (NEIO), que estima um parâmetro de conduta de mercado através da resposta dos preços a variações na elasticidadepreço da demanda, para analisar a questão da existência e do grau de poder de mercado no elo da distribuição e da produção de etanol no estado de São Paulo. Apóia-se no trabalho de Genesove e Mullin (1998) para a aplicação empírica da NEIO, e também para verificar se a metodologia é adequada ao mercado brasileiro de etanol. Conclui-se que a metodologia NEIO mostra-se adequada aos dois elos da cadeia de etanol analisados. Além disso, produtores e distribuidores de etanol combustível não exercem efetivamente poder de mercado, no período compreendido pela análise. Os valores dos parâmetros de conduta de mercado estimados mostram que a conduta, nos referidos elos da cadeia do etanol, esteve mais próxima à concorrência perfeita que ao monopólio. Assim, não se observou o efetivo exercício de poder de mercado nos dois elos da cadeia de etanol estudados. / Given the increasing demand for ethanol fuel, as well as strategies for mergers and acquisitions among producers and distributors in Brazil recently observed, much has been discussed about the market power which is being, or may be exercised by those agents involved in the ethanol sector in the country. Discussions about a possible price increase have raised concern about the existence of market power from producers of ethanol, and/or from the distributors. This work uses the tools of the New Empirical Industrial Organization (NEIO), which estimates a parameter of market conduct through the response of prices to changes in price elasticity of demand, to examine the question of the existence and degree of market power on the link of the distribution and production of ethanol in the state of Sao Paulo. The Genesove and Mullin (1998) work is used for the NEIOs empirical application, and also to check whether the methodology is appropriate to the Brazilian ethanol market. Then, it has been concluded that NEIOs methodology proved to be suitable for the two links in the chain of ethanol analyzed. Also producers and distributors of ethanol fuel had not effectively exercised market power, in the period of analysis. The estimated values of market conducts parameter show that the conduct, in those links in the ethanols chain, was closer to that perfect competition to monopoly. Thus, it has not been observed the effective exercise of market power in the two links of the chain of ethanol studied.

Dado o crescente aumento na demanda de etanol combustível, bem como as estratégias de fusões e aquisições entre produtores e distribuidores observadas no Brasil recentemente, muito se tem discutido a respeito do poder de mercado que pode estar sendo, ou pode vir a ser exercido por esses agentes envolvidos na cadeia do produto. Discussões sobre um possível responsável por elevações do preço do produto têm levantado o interesse sobre a existência de poder de mercado por parte dos produtores de etanol, e/ou por parte das distribuidoras de combustíveis. O presente trabalho utiliza o ferramental da Nova Organização Industrial Empírica (NEIO), que estima um parâmetro de conduta de mercado através da resposta dos preços a variações na elasticidadepreço da demanda, para analisar a questão da existência e do grau de poder de mercado no elo da distribuição e da produção de etanol no estado de São Paulo. Apóia-se no trabalho de Genesove e Mullin (1998) para a aplicação empírica da NEIO, e também para verificar se a metodologia é adequada ao mercado brasileiro de etanol. Conclui-se que a metodologia NEIO mostra-se adequada aos dois elos da cadeia de etanol analisados. Além disso, produtores e distribuidores de etanol combustível não exercem efetivamente poder de mercado, no período compreendido pela análise. Os valores dos parâmetros de conduta de mercado estimados mostram que a conduta, nos referidos elos da cadeia do etanol, esteve mais próxima à concorrência perfeita que ao monopólio. Assim, não se observou o efetivo exercício de poder de mercado nos dois elos da cadeia de etanol estudados. / Given the increasing demand for ethanol fuel, as well as strategies for mergers and acquisitions among producers and distributors in Brazil recently observed, much has been discussed about the market power which is being, or may be exercised by those agents involved in the ethanol sector in the country. Discussions about a possible price increase have raised concern about the existence of market power from producers of ethanol, and/or from the distributors. This work uses the tools of the New Empirical Industrial Organization (NEIO), which estimates a parameter of market conduct through the response of prices to changes in price elasticity of demand, to examine the question of the existence and degree of market power on the link of the distribution and production of ethanol in the state of Sao Paulo. The Genesove and Mullin (1998) work is used for the NEIOs empirical application, and also to check whether the methodology is appropriate to the Brazilian ethanol market. Then, it has been concluded that NEIOs methodology proved to be suitable for the two links in the chain of ethanol analyzed. Also producers and distributors of ethanol fuel had not effectively exercised market power, in the period of analysis. The estimated values of market conducts parameter show that the conduct, in those links in the ethanols chain, was closer to that perfect competition to monopoly. Thus, it has not been observed the effective exercise of market power in the two links of the chain of ethanol studied.

The U.S. forest products industry has witnessed an unprecedented period of mergers and acquisitions in the last decades. The overall goal of this thesis is to examine the impact of these activities on the financial performance and market power of the U.S. forest products industry in the last several decades. The first part of this thesis evaluated the mergers by event study. The results revealed that the equity market reacted positively to these mergers; the position of a firm and the relative transaction size explained most of the variations of the cumulative abnormal returns; and the risk for most of the selected 14 acquiring firms had changed after the mergers. The second part examined the market power of the U.S. paper industry by the new empirical industrial organization approach. The results indicated that the oligopoly power remained significant at the 1% level over the whole sample period; whereas the oligopsony power had dropped dramatically and become insignificant at the 5% level in recent 30 years.