Gordon J. Klein

Endogenous Firm Heterogeneity, ICT and R&D Incentives

Firm heterogeneity explains the productivity driven selection mechanism that determines aggregate productivity growth within industries. This paper empirically demonstrates that ICT has a robust impact on firm heterogeneity only when ICT is used intensively and jointly with specific ICT applications. ICT induced heterogeneity is shown to have a positive impact on the decision to invest in R&D personnel.

Einschränkungen der Preisgestaltung im Einzelhandel aus wettbewerbsökonomischer Perspektive

Sowohl in Deutschland als auch in vielen anderen Landern (vgl. z.B. Competition Commission, 2008) hat die Konzentration im Handel, und hier insbesondere im Lebensmitteleinzelhandel, in den letzten Jahrzehnten deutlich zugenommen. Dem Bundeskartellamt zufolge vereinen die vier grosten Handelsunternehmen in Deutschland inzwischen rund 85 Prozent des Absatzmarktes auf sich. Angesichts der fortschreitenden Konzentration werden weitere Fusionsvorhaben durch das Bundeskartellamt nun zunehmend skeptisch beurteilt. So musste EDEKA im Jahr 2011 einen Grosteil seiner Ubernahmeplane aufgeben, um schlieslich einige Standorte des mittelstandischen Lebensmitteleinzelhandlers Ratio ubernehmen zu konnen.

Intermediate input markets, ICT and innovation in Germany: A firm level analysis

This paper studies the impact of the adoption of ICT on the economic performance at the firm level, considering explicitly the interaction of adopting firms within the intermediate input market in Germany. The paper identifies and quantifies the importance of adoption externalities and knowledge spillovers inherent in the introduction of ICT. The results show that the adoption of ICT at the firm level is positively affected by the use of ICT downstream and upstream (i.e. by a firms clients and suppliers). Moreover, the use of ICT upstream(i.e. by a firms suppliers) negatively affects the extend of IT outsourcing at the firm level, suggesting a substitution effect between inputs provided by suppliers with an intense use of ICT and a firms demand for external IT services. The paper also finds that the use of ICT within the intermediate input markets positively affects the efficiency of internal processes by increasing the cost reductions generated by the introduction of process innovations.