We investigate mergers in markets where quality differences between products are central and firms may reposition their product lines by adding or removing of different qualities following a merger. Such materially from those studied the existing literature. Mergers without synergies exhibit product-mix effect which raises consumer surplus, but only when pre-merger industry structure satisfies ...

Competition in the electric service industry is highlighting the importance of a number of issues affecting the nature and quality of customer service. The quality of service(s) provided to electricity customers may be enhanced by competition, if doing so offers service suppliers a competitive advantage. On the other hand, service quality offered to some consumers could decline if utilities foc...

Development of science and technology and the growing trend of globalization has pushed the urban communities toward competition on absorbing foreign capitals and construction of macro-scale projects. This competition has affected not only developed countries but also developing countries such as Iran- since it is expected that each urban development will finally result in an increase in the qu...

This study assesses the impact of competition on quality and price in the English care/nursing homes market. Considering the key institutional features, we use a theoretical model to assess the conditions under which further competition could increase or reduce quality. A dataset comprising the population of 10,000 care homes was used. We constructed distance/travel-time weighted competition me...

OBJECTIVE To estimate the effects of competition for both Medicare and HMO patients on the quality decisions of hospitals in Southern California. DATA SOURCE Secondary discharge data from the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development for the State of California for the period 1989-1993. STUDY DESIGN Outcome variables are the risk-adjusted hospital mortality rates for pneumonia (es...