ZEW Conference on the Quantitative Analysis in Competition Assessments

The ZEW Centre for European Economic Research, the Mannheim Centre for Competition and Innovation (MaCCI) and WHU Otto Beisheim School of Management in Vallendar are pleased to announce their conference "Quantitative Analysis in Competition Assessments". It aims at stimulating discussion between academic researchers and practitioners in the various competition authorities, legal counsel and economic consultancy firms regarding the use of quantitative techniques in the context of competition analysis. Theoretical, empirical as well as case study-oriented articles are welcome. A special emphasis of the conference lies on the use of structural oligopoly models in competition assessments as well as new theoretical contributions within this field.

Topics of Interest

The conference aims to discuss the recent developments in the empirical techniques - covering simple as well as most advanced and state-of-the-art quantitative techniques - and their practical application in competition casework and market studies/sector inquiries. A non-exhaustive list of such empirical approaches comprises:

• Price Tests
• Price-Concentration Analysis
• SSNIP Advances
• Demand Estimation
• Structural Models
• Merger Simulations
• Empirical Analysis of Unilateral and Coordinated Effects
• Econometric Models to Measure Market Power
• Quantitative Analysis of Tacit (implicit) Collusion
• Market Screening Techniques/Predicting Cartels
• Empirical Analysis of Effects of Vertical Restraints
• Empirical Tests to Determine Predatory Pricing
• Quantification of Damages to Consumers
• Bidding Studies, etc.

High-quality competition analysis of antitrust cases envisages empirical analysis of market data within a robust theoretical framework, complemented with qualitative arguments. We especially welcome any contributions that illustrate the application of industrial economics, game theory and econometrics to applied competition analysis of antitrust cases and that combine both the development of a theoretical model and its empirical estimation. Papers with empirical advances in the field of the ex-post evaluation of competition policy are also welcome.

Invited Speakers

• Jonathan Baker (American University's Washington College of Law)
• Peter Davis (UK Competition Commission)
• Frederic M. Scherer (John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University)
• Mark Williams (NERA Economic Consulting)

Scientific Committee

• Stephen Davies (Centre for Competition Policy, University of East Anglia)
• Tomaso Duso (Humboldt University Berlin and WZB)
• Ulrich Kaiser (University of Zürich, ZEW, Copenhagen Business School and University of Copenhagen)
• Massimo Motta (ICREA-Universitat Pompeu Fabra and Barcelona Graduate School of Economics)
• Volker Nocke (University of Mannheim)
• Martin Peitz (University of Mannheim and ZEW)
• Thomas Roende (Copenhagen Business School, ZEW and University of Copenhagen)
• Philipp Schmidt-Dengler (London School of Economics)
• Frank Verboven (K.U. Leuven and CEPR)

Submission of Papers or Abstracts

Full papers as well as extended abstracts may be submitted. All proposals must include the following information: An abstract of up to 500 words, authors' full name and affiliation, contact details for corresponding author such as address, phone, and e-mail. All papers or abstracts should be submitted electronically to the organising committee via the e-mail address compquant2010@zew.de as doc or pdf files (preferably pdf) no later than 30 June 2010. Proposals must be in English. They will be peer reviewed. Authors of accepted papers or abstracts will be notified no later than 30 August 2010. Presenters may kindly be asked to discuss another paper. Young researchers are particularly encouraged to submit proposals.

Call for Papers, (PDF file, 372 KB)

Registration Fee

The conference fee is EUR 160. It covers conference materials, coffee breaks, lunch breaks and the conference dinner. For participants who present a paper, the conference fee is waived. An informal get-together is planned on the evening of 20 October 2010.

Final Programme

Programme, PDF file, 73 KB