This paper studies the incentives for firms competing in vertically differentiated markets to sign binding collusive agreements, as in the case of mergers and alliances. Empirical investigations show that firms involved in mergers and acquisitions revise prices and qualities as to maximize their...

Heterogeneous firms facing demand-induced price fluctuations imperfectly compete for heterogeneous workers. It is shown that unemployment may arise in equilibrium because of the combination of uncertainty on product price and mismatch between workers’ skills and firms’ job requirements.

The main purpose of this paper is to provide a detailed comparison of two types of oligopolistic competition: quantity competition (Cournot) and price competition (Bertrand) with or without Ford effect: strategic allowing for firm's impact on consumer's income. This is accomplished in a simple...