Competition Economics (5 cr)

Code:
26033
Field:
Microeconomics
Targets:
Master’s students Research Master's students
Organiser:
Hanken Shool of Economics
Instructor:
Rune Stenbacka and Geert Van Moer
Period:
Period 4
Format:
Lecture
Method:
Contact teaching
Venue:
Hanken
Enrollment:

In case of conflicting information consider the Sisu/Moodle pages the primary source of information.

Aalto and UH economics students can enroll in their home university’s SISU! Further instructions can be found on the How to enroll? page, also for other students.

Before taking and completing the course make sure that the credits can be counted towards your degree at your home university by checking which courses are included in your curriculum or by contacting your home university’s student/learning services.

  • A Moodle course key will be sent by email (to your Hanken email address) or it is posted as a message in Sisu couple of days before the course starts.
  • Log in with your Hanken username to be able to use all the features of the course workspace.
  • More tips for enrolling in Moodle can be found here.

This course presents a modern approach to competition economics with an emphasis on selected elements of strategic competition and on European competition policy. The participants are expected to have some knowledge of elementary models associated with the economics of strategy (game theory and oligopoly models). The course will focus on the following issues:the definition of a relevant markethorizontal agreements, collusion and the enforcement of cartel laws, vertical agreements, concerted practices with a particular focus on the exchange of information between competitors, evaluations of mergers, in particular horizontal mergers, business practices in light of the prohibition to abuse market dominance, strategic creation of switching costs and loyalty-enhancing pricing strategies, price discrimination with a particular focus on history-based pricing, individualized pricing and privacy, the relationship between competition policy and sector-specific regulation.

The course is linked to the contemporary legal framework in Europe, but is not a course in competition law. The course will present topical European competition cases and present an overview of the main methods used to evaluate competition policy cases.

After completing the course, you will be able to:

  • design business strategies and pricing for firms in recognition of the central constraints imposed by competition law.
  • conduct market analysis in recognition of the central constraints imposed by competition law.