A Note on Competing Merger Simulation Models in Antitrust Cases: Can the Best Be Identified?

Advanced economic instruments like simulation models are enjoying an increased popularity in practical antitrust. There is hope that they – being quantitative predictive economic evidence – can substitute for qualitative structural analysis and lead to unambiguous results. This paper demonstrates...

詳細記述

保存先:
書誌詳細
出版年:MAGKS - Joint Discussion Paper Series in Economics (Band 03-2008)
第一著者: Budzinski, Oliver
フォーマット: 論文
言語:英語
出版事項: Philipps-Universität Marburg 2008
主題:
オンライン・アクセス:PDFフルテキスト
タグ: タグ追加
タグなし, このレコードへの初めてのタグを付けませんか!
その他の書誌記述
要約:Advanced economic instruments like simulation models are enjoying an increased popularity in practical antitrust. There is hope that they – being quantitative predictive economic evidence – can substitute for qualitative structural analysis and lead to unambiguous results. This paper demonstrates that it can be theoretically impossible to identify the most appropriate simulation model for any given merger proposal. Due to the inevitable necessity to reduce real-world complexity and multi-parameter character of merger cases, the comparative fit of proposed merger simulation models with mutually incompatible predictions can be the same. This is valid even if an ideal antitrust procedure is assumed. This insight is important regarding two aspects. First, the scope for partisan economic evidence cannot be completely eroded in merger control. Second, simulation cannot eliminate or substitute for qualitative reasoning and economically informed common sense.
DOI:10.17192/es2023.0190