@article{AndresBruttelFriedrichsen2022, author = {Andres, Maximilian and Bruttel, Lisa and Friedrichsen, Jana}, title = {How communication makes the difference between a cartel and tacit collusion}, series = {European economic review}, volume = {152}, journal = {European economic review}, publisher = {Elsevier}, address = {Amsterdam}, issn = {0014-2921}, doi = {10.1016/j.euroecorev.2022.104331}, pages = {1 -- 18}, year = {2022}, abstract = {This paper sheds new light on the role of communication for cartel formation. Using machine learning to evaluate free-form chat communication among firms in a laboratory experiment, we identify typical communication patterns for both explicit cartel formation and indirect attempts to collude tacitly. We document that firms are less likely to communicate explicitly about price fixing and more likely to use indirect messages when sanctioning institutions are present. This effect of sanctions on communication reinforces the direct cartel-deterring effect of sanctions as collusion is more difficult to reach and sustain without an explicit agreement. Indirect messages have no, or even a negative, effect on prices.}, language = {en} } @article{deHaasPaha2020, author = {de Haas, Samuel and Paha, Johannes}, title = {Non-controlling minority shareholdings and collusion}, series = {Review of industrial organization}, volume = {58}, journal = {Review of industrial organization}, number = {3}, publisher = {Springer}, address = {Dordrecht}, issn = {0889-938X}, doi = {10.1007/s11151-020-09758-y}, pages = {431 -- 454}, year = {2020}, abstract = {This article merges theoretical literature on non-controlling minority shareholdings (NCMS) in a coherent model to study the effects of NCMS on competition and collusion. The model encompasses both the case of a common owner holding shares of rival firms as well as the case of cross ownership among rivals. We find that by softening competition, NCMS weaken the sustainability of collusion under a greater variety of situations than was indicated by earlier literature. Such effects exist, in particular, in the presence of an effective competition authority.}, language = {en} }