Browsing Working Papers (ECON) by Year Published
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Abstract: According to the Competition Act, a merger that impedes eective competition signi cantly, in particular by creating or strengthening a dominant postition, shall be prohibited. To decide whether this is the case the authorities need a quanti able model of the relationship between the variables that are directly aected by the merger and some measure of competition. In this paper we set up and calibrate a simple model of the interaction of the retail and the wholesale markets for high-end cosmetics in Denmark based on the Matas case. The model predicts that the acquisition of Matas - comprising roughly half of the market for high end cosmetics - may have a significant on retail prices and that the authorities had good reasons for making its approval conditioned on the removal of a number of contract-based barriers to entry. Analytically the main results are: (1) In a linear model with constant marginal costs the optimal wholesale prices are unexpected by the structure in the retail sector. (2) The ect on of buyer-power induced quantity dioscounts depends on the speci c design of the scheme: A relative discount on the list price the independent shops are charged increases the average retail price; A xed reduction relative to the pre-merger price reduces the average retail price). (3) Buyer-power induced retail price maintenance (RPM) increases the average retail price. RPM increases the competitiveness and pro ts of the merged shops if producers keep whole-sale prices unchanged. If, however, the producers adjust their wholesale prices, then RMP hurts merged and independent shops alike and benefits only the producers. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/7516 Files in this item: 1
wp6-2007.pdf (422.4Kb) -
Keiding, Hans; Hansen, Bodil O. (København, 2007)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: In the paper, we use the theory of mechanism design to exhibit the cost of efficient provision of healthcare, defined as the uniquely defined sum of individual side payments which would eliminate moral hazard. It is argued that this cost may be used to assess the costs arising from use of the treatment in cases where it is not appropriate from a strictly medical point of view. An example is given to indicate how this assessment might enter into practical cost-effectiveness analysis. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/7626 Files in this item: 1
wp.05.07.pdf (264.4Kb) -
Scheuer, Christian; Sørensen, Anders; Rosholm, Michael (København, 2007)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: This paper investigates the impact of globalization, in the sense of increasing international trade, on the demand for skills in Danish manufacturing companies. The study is based on a unique data set that enables us to develop rich measures of international outsourcing and import penetration. Moreover, the data also allows several strategies to strengthen the causal interpretation of our results. The main finding of the analysis is that it is of crucial importance to distinguish imports - both in the form of outsourcing and overall imports - by country-of-origin. We find that international trade with low-wage countries leads to skill-upgrading. This is especially pronounced for import penetration with a ceteris paribus contribution of around fifty percent to skill-upgrading. Moreover, we find that import penetration in goods originating from high-wage countries lead to skill-downgrading. This latter result suggests that Danish manufacturing has comparative advantage in skillintensive production when compared to low-wage countries, but in unskill-intensive production when compared to high-wage countries. Skill-upgrading, Low-wage country outsourcing, Low-wage country import penetration, Comparative advantage URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/7625 Files in this item: 1
wp8-2007.pdf (532.1Kb) -
Waisman, Gisela; Larsen, Birthe (København, 2007)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: The eects of discrimination of immigrants on the labour market are studied within a search and wage-bargaining setting including a risk of losing skills during the experience of unemployment. The negative eects of discrimination in the form of higher unemployment and lower wages spread to all workers, immigrants and natives, in all sectors of the economy. The eect is stronger for immigrants, but natives suer as well. An increase in the share of immigrants in the economy exacerbates the problem of discrimination. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/7634 Files in this item: 1
wp12-2007.pdf (768.8Kb) -
Kongsted, Hans Christian; Meisner Nielsen, Kasper; Bennedsen, Morten (København, 2007)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: Boards are endogenously chosen institutions determined by observable and unobservable firm characteristics. Empirical studies of large publicly traded firms have successfully controlled for observable determinants of board size and shown a robust negative relationship between board size and firm performance. The evidence on smaller closely held firms is less clear; we argue that existing work has been incomplete in analyzing the causal relationship due to weak identification strategies. Using a rich data set of almost 6,000 small and medium-sized closely held corporations we provide a causal analysis of board size effects on firm performance using a novel instrument given by the number of children of the founders of the firms. First, we find no empirical evidence of adverse board size effects when the size of the board lies in the typical range for closely held corporations of three to six directors. Second, we find a significantly negative board size effect for the minority of closely held firms that are characterized by having comparatively large boards of seven or more members and non-complex operations. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/7600 Files in this item: 1
wp14-2007.pdf (428.8Kb) -
The Role of Competition and of the Initial Firm Efficiency. Evidence from the Czech Republicla Cour, Lisbeth; Ionascu, Delia (København, 2007)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: It has been argued that the effect of competition on a company’s incentive to innovate and to reduce managerial slack depends on the initial level of efficiency. For example, while firms close to the technology frontier invest more in innovation if competition increases, backward firms reduce innovation. On a panel data of Czech companies, for the years 1993-2005, we empirically assess the impact of increased competition on firm productivity and the importance of the initial firm efficiency level. We depart from the empirical literature on emerging markets by taking into account both domestic and foreign competition. In line with the theory, our results show that there is an inverted U-relationship between domestic competition and firm productivity. Our results also confirm that trade liberalization has a positive impact on productivity. However, the effect is less significant if domestic competition is not taken into account. In addition, we find that both domestic and foreign competition have an effect on productivity in companies close to the technology frontier but not in backward companies. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/7653 Files in this item: 1
wp9-2007.pdf (2.398Mb) -
Schultz, Christian; Bennedsen, Morten (København, 2007)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: We analyze the economic consequences of strategic delegation of the right to decide between public or private provision of governmental service and/or the authority to negotiate and renegotiate with the chosen service provider. Our model encompass both bureaucratic delegation from a government to a privatization agency and electoral delegation from voters to a government. We identify two powerfull effects of delegation when contracts are incomplete: The incentive effect increases the incentive part of service providers’ remuneration and we show that strategic delegation may substitute formal incentive contracts. The bargaining effect improves the bargaining position vis a vis a private firm with market power and leads to a lower price for the service. Outsourcing, Strategic Delegation, Incentives, Incomplete Contracting, Market Power, Representative Democracy. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/7602 Files in this item: 1
wp7-2007.pdf (625.9Kb) -
Ionascu, Delia; Kristjánsdóttir, Helga; Davies, Ronald B. (København, 2007)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: This paper applies the panel fixed effects with vector decomposition estimator to three FDI datasets to estimate the impact of time-invariant variables on FDI while including fixed effects. We find that the omission of fixed effects significantly biases several of these variables, especially those proxying for trade costs and culture. After including fixed effects, we find that many time-invariant variables indicate the importance of vertical FDI. We also find that by eliminating these biases, the differences across datasets largely disappear. Thus, controversies in the literature that are driven by differences in data sets may be resolved by using this estimation technique. JEL Classification: F14, F23 Key Words: Foreign Direct Investment, Trade Costs, Culture URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/7610 Files in this item: 1
wp2-2007.pdf (355.7Kb) -
Effects on Capacity Investments, Prices and WelfareBuehler, Stefan; Boom, Anette (København, 2006)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: We examine the effects of reorganizing electricity markets on capacity investments, retail prices and welfare when demand is uncertain. We study the following market configurations: (i) integrated monopoly, (ii) integrated duopoly with wholesale trade, and (iii) separated duopoly with wholesale trade. Assuming that wholesale prices can react to changes in retail prices (but not vice versa), we find that generators install sufficient capacity to serve retail demand in each market configuration, thus avoiding blackouts. Furthermore, aggregate capacity levels and retail prices are such that the separated (integrated) duopoly with wholesale trade performs best (worst) in terms of welfare. Keywords: Electricity, Investments, Generating Capacities, Vertical Integration, Monopoly and Competition. JEL-Classification: D42, D43, D44, L11, L12, L13 URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/7589 Files in this item: 1
wp11-2006.pdf (286.3Kb) -
Raimondos-Møller, Pascalis; Schjelderup, Guttorm; Nielsen, Søren Bo (København, 2006)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: We examine how a multinational’s choice to centralize or de-centralize its decision structure is affected by country tax differentials. Within a simple model that emphasizes the multiple conflicting roles of transfer prices in MNEs — here, as a strategic pre-commitment device and a tax manipulation instrument —, we show that decentralization is preferred in case of small tax differentials, whereas centralization can be more profitable, when tax differentials are large. In essence, the organizational flexibility of MNEs is triggered by the scope for tax minimization. Our analysis allows for both commitment and non-commitment to transfer prices, and for alternative modes of competition. Keywords: Centralized vs. de-centralized decisions, taxes, transfer prices, MNEs. JEL-Classification: H25, F23, L23. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/7509 Files in this item: 1
wp7-2006.pdf (234.3Kb) -
Møllgaard, Peter (København, 2006)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: The pre-insulated pipe cartel was established 1990 in Denmark, was extended to Italy and Germany during 1991 and re-organised in 1994 to cover the entire common market. Cartel members engaged in market sharing, price setting, bid rigging, coordinated predation and delaying of innovation. The European Commission fined the cartel in 1998. In 2005 four Danish municipalities successfully sued three cartel members and received large damage payments. The paper reviews the EU case, explains the economics of cartels, describes different approaches to determining damages and shows how this was done in practice. Keywords: cartel damages, pre-insulated pipes JEL: L13, L41, L61/L95 URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/7553 Files in this item: 1
wp10-2006.pdf (84.87Kb) -
Keuschnigg, Christian; Nielsen, Søren Bo (København, 2006)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: In recent years, venture capital has become an important source for nancing young entrepreneurial rms. Given the apparently more innovative nature and extra value added of venture capital backed rms compared to other firms, policy makers have taken an increasing interest in an active venture capital industry. We explore how selected policy instruments determine the incentives of individuals to start up new rms and of venture capitalists to nance and advise them, and how policy thereby influences the size and nature of the industry and how it aspects aggregate welfare. We examine the impact of wage and corporate income taxes as well as capital gains taxes and start-up capital subsidies on the volume and quality of venture capital backed entrepreneurship. JEL-Classi cation: D82, G24, H24, H25 Keywords: Entrepreneurship, venture capital, double moral hazard, taxes, sub-sidies. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/7569 Files in this item: 1
wp15-06.pdf (291.5Kb) -
Lund, Lars (København, 2006)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: A new local government structure is announced for Greenland from 2009. If the reform is carried through, Nanortalik the most southerly town will come together with Qaqortoq, then the new centre, and Narsaq. A suggestion by the mayor of Nanortalik about the number of civil servants that should move to the centre is the basis for calculating the potential loss of gross income (wages and profits) in the first years of the reform. With the civil servants follow some adults and children. On top of the direct loss of income come derived losses determined by a multiplier process. The size of the multiplier is estimated to be around 1,25. This is based on assumptions about income levels, expenditure patterns, and local income parts of sales. Full implementation of the reform could mean a loss of 5 plus percent of gross income. If other probable losses (e.g. fewer elected members of the local authority) are added in, the loss could rise to more than 7 percent. Tax rates are assumed not to be lowered by the departure of civil servants to the centre. To the contrary an increase in the tax rate for Nanortalik is envisaged as this small town in these years enjoys an advantage from taxing local people and foreign skilled workers operating a nearby gold mine. It is stressed that the paper doesn’t evaluate the proposal for a reform, neither for the South of Greenland nor for Greenland as a whole. It is about possible very short term local effects URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/7521 Files in this item: 1
wp3-2006.pdf (346.9Kb) -
Sørensen, Anders (København, 2006)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: Welfare ranking of policy instruments is addressed in a two-sector Ramsey model with monopoly pricing in one sector as the only distortion. When government spending is restricted, i.e. when a government is unable or unwilling to finance the required costs for implementing the optimum policy, subsidies that directly affect investment incentives may generate higher welfare effects than the direct instrument, which is a production subsidy. The driving mechanism is that an investment subsidy may be more cost effective than the direct instrument; and that the relative welfare gain from cost effectiveness can exceed the welfare loss from introducing new distortions. Moreover, it is found that the investment subsidy is gradually phased out of the welfare maximizing policy, which may be a policy combining the two subsidies, when the level of government spending is increased. Keywords: welfare ranking, indirect and direct policy instruments, restricted government spending JEL: E61, O21, O41 URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/7581 Files in this item: 1
wp8-2006.pdf (362.5Kb) -
Raimondos-Møller, Pascalis; Kreickemeier, Udo (København, 2006)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: We show that the standard concertina result for tariff reforms – i.e. lowering the highest tariff increases welfare – no longer holds in general if we allow for international capital mobility. The result can break down if the good whose tariff is lowered is not capital intensive. If the concertina reform lowers welfare it lowers market access as well, thereby compromising a second goal that is typically connected with trade liberalisation. JEL-Classification: F11, F13, F15 Key words: Trade Policy Reform, International Factor Mobility, Welfare, Market Access URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/7637 Files in this item: 1
wp5-2006.pdf (157.8Kb) -
Kennes, John; Tranæs, Torben; Larsen, Birthe; Filges, Trine (København, 2006)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: We find that the main featues of labor policy across OECD countries can be explained by a simple general equilibrium search model with risk neutral agents and a government that chooses policy to maximize a social welfare function. In equilibrum, policies are chosen to optimal redistribute income from advantaged to disadvantaged workers. A worker can be disadvantaged in the sense that they may have less ability to aquire and utilize skills in the workplace. The model explains why passive benefits tend to fall and active benefits tend to increase during the course of unemployment spell. The model also explains why countries that appear to pursue equity spend more on both active and passive labor market programs. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/7648 Files in this item: 1
wp13-06.pdf (197.7Kb) -
Rose Skaksen, Jan; Munch, Jakob Roland (København, 2006)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: This paper studies the link between a firms education level, export performance and wages of its workers. We argue that firms may escape intence competition in international markets by using high skilled workers to differentiate their products. This story is consistent with our empirical results. Osing a very rich matched worker-firm longitudinal dataset we find that firms with high export intensities pay higher wages. However, an interaction term between export intensity and skill intensity has a positive impact on wages and it absorbs the direct effect of the export intensity. That is, we find an export wage premium, but it accrues to workers in firms with high skill intensities. Keywords: Exports, Wages, Human Capital, Rent Sharing, Matched Worker-Firm Data JEL Classification: J30, F10, I20 URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/7623 Files in this item: 1
wp9-2006.pdf (163.0Kb) -
Hansen, Bodil O.; Keiding, Hans (København, 2006)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: We consider a model of commercial television market, where private broadcasters coexist with a public television broadcaster. Assuming that the public TV station follows a policy of Ramsey pricing whereas the private stations are profit maximizers, we consider the equilibria in this market and compare with a situation where the public station is privatized and acts as another private TV broadcaster. A closer scrutiny of the market for commercial television leads to a distinction between target rating points, which are the prime unit of account in TV advertising, and net coverage, which is the final goal of advertisers. Working with net coverage as the fundamental concept, we exploit the models of competition between public and private price and quantity in order to show that privatization of the public TV station entails a welfare loss and results in TV advertising becoming more expensive. Keywords: TV broadcasting, imperfect competition, Ramsey pricing, welfare comparison. JEL classification: L11, L82, L33 URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/7501 Files in this item: 1
wp2-2006.pdf (146.8Kb) -
Milhøj, Anders; la Cour, Lisbeth Funding (København, 2006)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: We study aggregation - or sample frequencies - of time series, e.g. aggregation from weekly to monthly or quarterly time series. Aggregation usually gives shorter time series but spurious phenomena, in e.g. daily observations, can on the other hand be avoided. An important issue is the effect of aggregation on the adjustment coefficient in cointegrated systems. We study only first order vector autoregressive processes for n dimensional time series Xt, and we illustrate the theory by a two dimensional and a four dimensional model for prices of various grades of gasoline. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/7605 Files in this item: 1
wp14-06.pdf (567.4Kb) -
Lund, Lars (København, 2006)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: The Greenland infrastructure for the airborne traffic uses Kangerlussuaq, Søndre Strømfjord, as hub. New scenarios may change that, and one possibility is the construction of a large airport at Nuuk with a 3000 m runway. The trunk line will then be between Copenhagen and Nuuk. In that case the village Kangerlussuaq will be abandoned. The paper analyses the size of the economic gain to Greenland of such a change. Using official statistics and information collected for the investigation a description is made of the employment structure and the income earned in the trades represented in Kangerlussuaq. It is then discussed to which extent people do tasks that will still be needed with the new structure and to which extent they will be set free to go into alternative production. The last possibility is regarded as a saving or as an increase in resources for Greenland, and the estimate is that this gain will amount to around 40 percent of the contribution to GDP in Kangerlussuaq. The saving is modified a little by the need of some new investments in Nuuk, mostly for housing. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/7507 Files in this item: 1
wp1-2006.pdf (395.9Kb)