ESSAYS IN ANTITRUST LAW AND INDUSTRIAL ORGANIZATION ECONOMICS

Date of Award

Fall 1-1-2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Management

First Advisor

Simsek, Alp

Abstract

This dissertation explores contemporary challenges in antitrust enforcement, focusing on the economic and legal implications of discriminatory pricing, private equity acquisitions, and rollup strategies. A central theme is how market concentration, driven by these practices, weakens competition and harms consumer welfare. The dissertation comprises three papers. The first paper reexamines the Robinson-Patman Act, challenging the assumption that price discrimination benefits consumers by demonstrating how it can force independent retailers out of the market and reduce competition. The second analyzes how private equity acquisitions evade antitrust scrutiny due to the exemptions under the Premerger Notification Program, leading to undetected consolidation. The third investigates rollups in the anesthesia industry, illustrating how sequential acquisitions drive price increases and further diminish competition. Through a combination of economic modeling, empirical research, and legal analysis, the dissertation underscores the need for more nuanced and proactive antitrust enforcement to address these evolving market dynamics.

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