Vertical Separation and Horizontal Mergers

Warning: is_dir(): open_basedir restriction in effect. File(/libraries) is not within the allowed path(s): (/home/web1050:/usr/share/php) in libraries_get_libraries() (line 176 of /home/web1050/public_html/sites/all/modules/contrib/libraries/libraries.module).

We consider a duopoly setting consisting of two manufacturer-retailer pairs in which the observable contract between each manufacturer-retailer pair specifies a two-part tariff. Without intra-band competition we show that an upstream merger is anti-competitive under very general demand and cost conditions. Downstream merger is analysed using linear demand and constant marginal cost and is shown not to be anti-competitive both with and without intra-band competition and for both price and output competition between retailers in the pre-merger regime.