Competition
Would Stricter Antitrust Rules Have Stopped the Rise of Amazon?
In a new study, Prof. Edward A. Snyder and his co-authors consider whether current antitrust guidelines would have checked Amazon’s voracious appetite for acquisitions if they had been in place earlier.
Firms Sacrifice Worker Safety When Demand Is High
Using data from the U.S. mining industry, Yale SOM’s Kerwin Charles and his co-authors investigated the relationship between higher demand and safety, and found that increased investment in safety measures is overwhelmed by the incentive to increase production while prices are high, leaving workers less safe overall.
What’s the Right Price?
A new study co-authored by Yale SOM’s Kevin Williams suggests that the zone pricing employed by home improvement chains benefits some consumers at the expense of others—and costs one of the two giants potential profits.
Can Antitrust Enforcement Protect Digital Consumers?
More and more of our economic and social lives are being conducted through digital channels. Economist Fiona Scott Morton talks about how effective antitrust regulation and enforcement can ensure that consumers benefit from the next killer app.
Got a Great Idea? Tell Your Rivals
A new study from Yale’s Jiwoong Shin finds that companies with truly innovative products may actually benefit from giving away some of their secrets.
Why ‘Breaking Up’ Big Tech Probably Won’t Work
Instead, argues Yale SOM’s Fiona Scott Morton, the government should exercise its regulatory powers to promote competition.
Companies Invest in Startups to Repair Weaknesses
A study by Yale SOM’s Song Ma shows that companies tend to invest in startups when they are struggling, in order to gain access to innovation and shore up an area of weakness.
Three Questions: Prof. Vineet Kumar on Facebook’s Move into Cryptocurrency
On June 18, Facebook announced Libra, a new cryptocurrency intended to make it easy for individuals and companies to exchange payments anywhere in the world. We asked Prof. Vineet Kumar why a company that started by enabling people to share personal news is now building an alternative financial system.
Three Questions: Prof. Soheil Ghili on Why Amazon Shoppers Aren’t Embracing Whole Foods
To convert its Prime customers into Whole Foods shoppers, Amazon is cutting prices at the stores and offering discounts to Prime members. Yale SOM’s Soheil Ghili explains the company’s strategy.
Gig Workers Value their Flexibility... a Lot
Using extensive data on Uber drivers, Yale SOM’s Judith Chevalier and her co-authors examined their driving patterns to understand the economic value of flexible scheduling. They found that rideshare drivers would have to earn as much as double to accept less-flexible arrangements.
Three Questions: Prof. Florian Ederer on ‘Killer Acquisitions’
A recent lawsuit alleged that a billionaire investor bought the rights to a new drug just to eliminate a potential competitor. We asked Yale SOM's Florian Ederer to explain why a "catch-and-kill" merger can be damaging and what to do about the phenomenon.
