Industrial Organization

A guide to the main determinants of firm structure, market structure, industrial innovation, and static market performance. It also looks at the policy issues raised by collusion and the behaviour of dominant firms, with reference to EU competition policy, focusing on performance in and policy toward imperfectly competitive international markets. Industrial Organization: A European Perspective presents a clearly explained and stimulating introduction to the basic theoretical models of industrial economics (including perfect competition, monopoly, Bertrand and Cournot competition) and to the most relevant topics in the field, including collusion, dominance, innovation, and international trade. The book contains up to date and accessible discussions of the determinants of firm structure (asset specificity), innovation, and static market performance. Whilst covering international trade policy and market performance, the book focuses especially on the EU. For instance, the various policy issues raised by collusion and dominant firm behaviour are analysed with particular reference to EU competition policy. There is also substantial discussion of performance in and policy toward imperfectly competitive international markets. The final chapter then looks at market integration in the European Union. The book is accompanied by a website providing case studies, extra information on specific topics, biographical material on economists relevant to the history of the discipline, and an invaluable list of links to other useful sites.