EMEA THE ANALYSIS

Economic analysis can clarify even the most intractable issues, to inform better decisions. Here we bring the best that economics has to offer without bias: setting out what is and isn’t known, and what needs to be considered when there is no consensus.

Nadine Watson

FROM THE EDITOR

Nadine Watson | Senior Vice President

In The Analysis, we consider the complex challenges that businesses and policymakers face, and demonstrate the light that economic analysis can shed on them – albeit partially – to inform better decisions and advance important debates.

In our fourth edition, our expert economists look at what data trends tell us about three complex debates: how companies’ profit margins have developed, and what that implies about merger control; whether the CMA and EC have held mergers in the tech sector to a higher standard than those in other sectors; and how the nature and impact of “multi-homing” can vary in different markets.

IN THIS ISSUE

Have European authorities been stricter with tech mergers?

Have European authorities been stricter with tech mergers?

Kirsten Edwards-Warren | November 23, 2022

In this article, Kirsten Edwards-Warren analyses the difference between the CMA’s and EC’s decisions on tech mergers and their decisions on mergers in other sectors.

Survey Evidence on Multi-homing in Online Retail Businesses

Survey Evidence on Multi-homing in Online Retail Businesses

John Davies, Sergey Khodjamirian, Felix Giallombardo, Pietro Aletti | November 23, 2022

John Davies, Sergey Khodjamirian, Felix Giallombardo and Pietro Aletti explore empirical evidence on multi-homing in online retailing in the context of “gatekeepers”.

What do markups tell us about competition and merger control in Europe?

What do markups tell us about competition and merger control in Europe?

Ian Small | November 23, 2022

In this article, Ian Small reviews the evidence on how markups have evolved in Europe and finds that we should not accept that concern at face value.

OUR PHILOSOPHY

Rigorous analysis can establish the facts: revealing what is true and what is false.

However, analysis rarely removes all ambiguity. It can pose new questions and leave others unanswered. Sometimes ambiguity may be inescapable; in which case, decisions should reflect that. Other times, further discussion and study will clarify matters. We believe that ambiguity requires more thought and analysis, not less.

In The Analysis, we aim to describe the facts on which we should agree and also set out the issues on which reasonable people disagree. As such, the views expressed here are the authors’ only and do not necessarily represent the views of Compass Lexecon, its management, its employees, or its clients. The authors will also state if third parties provided financial support for the analysis described.

ARCHIVED ARTICLES

The Analysis Archive
Retail mergers with supplier power

Retail mergers with supplier power

Joe Perkins, Shiva Shekhar | June 22, 2022
Navigating potential inconsistencies in assessments of pricing incentives

Navigating potential inconsistencies in assessments of pricing incentives

Lau Nilausen | June 22, 2022
Connected TVs: Will they follow the same path as mobile ecosystems?

Connected TVs: Will they follow the same path as mobile ecosystems?

Ciara Kalmus | June 22, 2022