Course aims:

These course cover a number of topics related to competition policy and pricing. The objective is to provide a guide to all students who have an interest in competition issues.
Also, following the course chapters, one can notice a set of pricing techniques, each of which might apply in some economic situations, market economy, but not in others.
Finally this course is designed to teach students how to price goods.

Course Entry Requirements:

MICROECONOMICS, MACROECONOMICS

Course contents:

Ch1. Competition Policy: History, Objectives, and the Law Ch2. Market Power and Welfare- short description Ch3. Collusion and Horizontal Agreements Ch4. Horizontal Mergers Ch5. Vertical Restraints and Vertical Mergers Ch6. Predation, Monopolisation and Other Abusive Practices Ch7. Pricing Beyond the 3 Cs Ch8. Pricing Economic Value to the Customer Ch9. Pricing under Consumer Uncertainty Ch10: Measuring Customer Reactions to Prices. Pricing to Segment Customers.

Teaching methods:

Lecturing, Demonstrating, Collaborating (i.e. Classroom discussion, Debriefing, Classroom Action Research), Recitation.

Learning outcomes:

To provide a systematic treatment of the economics of competition policy; • To deal with important issues as cartels, joint-ventures, mergers, vertical contracts, predatory pricing, exclusionary practices and price discrimination; • To formulate policy implications on aspects outlined before.

Learning outcomes verification and assessment criteria:

Written test examination– 60%; Verification during semester – 40%.

Recommended reading:

Bernheim, Douglas B. and Michael D. Whinston, "Multi-market Contact and Collusive Behavior" ;, Rand Journal of-Economics, New York, 1990, 1-26.
Farrell, J. and C. Shapiro, "Horizontal Mergers, An Equilibrium Analysis";, American Economic Review, New York, 1990, 107-125.
Green, E. and R. Porter, ''Non-Cooperative Collusion Under Imperfect Price Information”;, Econometrica, New York, 1984, 87-100.
Motta M., Competition Policy. Theory and practice, 8th Ed., Cambridge University Press, New York, 2007, BOOK.