As in other sectors, competition in finance matters for allocative, productive and dynamic efficiency. Theory suggests, however, that unfettered competition is not first best given the special features of finance. I review these analytics and describe how to assess the degree of competition in...

This paper investigates the intermodal equilibrium, road toll pricing, and bus system design issues in a congested highway corridor with two alternative modes - auto and bus - which share the same roadway along this corridor. On the basis of an in-depth analysis of the demand and supply sides of...

The present study examines the dynamics and regulatory regimes of commodity derivatives markets through time. The historical perspective allows to identify the reasons behind the use of derivatives and the impact of changing rules on financial systems. It further permits to highlight the...

A country's regulatory regime is a major determinant of the ability to realize the benefits of various macroeconomic efforts and initiatives, including trade agreements. Intrinsic and historical differences between goods and services sectors indicate that a country’s regulatory infrastructure...

Regional trade arrangements (RTAs) in Africa have been ineffective in promoting trade and foreign direct investment. Relatively high external trade barriers and low resource complementarity between member countries limit both intra- and extraregional trade. Small market size, poor transport...

“High-power” regulatory regimes were adopted in most of the reformed electricity distribution sectors. In particular, in a price cap regime with a RPI-X rule, it is commonly used a benchmarking exercise based on efficiency frontier estimations to determine X factors. DEA is a widely used...

Political economy scholarship generally assumes that governments are interested in enforcing economic regulations. Cases of non-enforcement are predominantly studied in the context of developing countries and are chiefly associated with states' deficient institutional capacity. This article...