The Staggers Rail Act (1980) permitted confidential railroad contracts. Legislation later required disclosure of certain contract terms to allay small shippers' claims of injury. This study uses experimental economics to analyze the effects of information disclosure. The oligoplastic market...

The Staggers Rail Act of 1980 granted railroads freedom to establish rates and enter into confidential contracts with grain shippers. Recent legislation (1986) required that certain contract terms be disclosed. This study shows rail rates in the Plains region commenced an upward trend after...

Laboratory experimentation was used to assess the impacts of information disclosure in imperfect markets. A dual oligopoly market structure was designed with contract information disclosed to subjects under three treatments: no, partial, and full disclosure. Regression analysis revealed some...