Øystein Foros

Bio: Øystein Foros is an academic researcher from Norwegian School of Economics. The author has contributed to research in topics: Competition (economics) & The Internet. The author has an hindex of 21, co-authored 88 publications receiving 1434 citations. Previous affiliations of Øystein Foros include University of Rochester.

Hotelling competition with multi-purchasing: Time Magazine, Newsweek, or both?

Abstract: Equilibrium prices behave quite differently if consumers single-purchase (buy either Time Magazine or Newsweek) or if some consumers multi-purchase (buy both). Prices are strategic complements under single-purchase, and increase with magazine quality. In a multi-purchase regime prices are strategically independent because firms then act monopolistically by pricing the incremental benefit to marginal consumers. Furthermore, prices can decrease with magazine quality due to overlapping content. Higher preference heterogeneity increases prices and profits in equilibrium with single-purchase, but decreases them with multi-purchase. We determine when each regime holds, and present a detailed reaction function analysis which applies more generally to duopoly pricing.

Competition for Advertisers and for Viewers in Media Markets

Abstract: Standard models of advertising-financed media assume consumers patronise a single-media platform, precluding effective competition for advertisers. Such competition ensues if consumers multi-home. The principle of incremental pricing implies that multi-homing consumers are less valuable to platforms. Then entry of new platforms decreases advertisement prices, while a merger increases them, and advertisement-financed platforms may suffer if a public broadcaster carries advertisements. Platforms may bias content against multi-homing consumers, especially if consumers highly value overlapping content and/or second impressions have low value.

Do Slotting Allowances Harm Retail Competition

Abstract: Slotting allowances are fees paid by manufacturers to get access to retailers' shelf space. Both in the USA and Europe, the use of slotting allowances has attracted attention in the general press as well as among policy makers and economists. One school of thought claims that slotting allowances are efficiency enhancing, while another school of thought maintains that slotting allowances are used in an anti-competitive manner. In this paper, we argue that this controversy is partially caused by inadequate assumptions of how the retail market is structured and organized. Using a formal model, we show that there are good reasons to expect anti-competitive effects of slotting allowances. We further point out that competi tion authorities tend to use an unsatisfactory basis for comparison when analyzing welfare consequences of slotting allowances.

Natural Resources: Curse or Blessing?

Abstract: Are natural resources a “curse” or a “blessing”? The empirical evidence suggests either outcome is possible. The paper surveys a variety of hypotheses and supporting evidence for why some countries benefit and others lose from the presence of natural resources. These include that a resource bonanza induces appreciation of the real exchange rate, deindustrialization and bad growth prospects, and that these adverse effects are more severe in volatile countries with bad institutions and lack of rule of law, corruption, presidential democracies, and underdeveloped financial systems. Another hypothesis is that a resource boom reinforces rent grabbing and civil conflict especially if institutions are bad, induces corruption especially in non-democratic countries, and keeps in place bad policies. Finally, resource rich developing economies seem unable to successfully convert their depleting exhaustible resources into other productive assets. The survey also offers some welfare-based fiscal rules for harnessing resource windfalls in developed and developing economies.

Natural Resources: Curse or Blessing?

Abstract: Are natural resources a "curse" or a "blessing" The empirical evidence suggests that either outcome is possible. This paper surveys a variety of hypotheses and supporting evidence for why some countries benefit and others lose from the presence of natural resources. These include that a resource bonanza induces appreciation of the real exchange rate, deindustrialization, and bad growth prospects, and that these adverse effects are more severe in volatile countries with bad institutions and lack of rule of law, corruption, presidential democracies, and underdeveloped financial systems. Another hypothesis is that a resource boom reinforces rent grabbing and civil conflict especially if institutions are bad, induces corruption especially in nondemocratic countries, and keeps in place bad policies. Finally, resource rich developing economies seem unable to successfully convert their depleting exhaustible resources into other productive assets. The survey also offers some welfare-based fiscal rules for harnessing resource windfalls in developed and developing economies.

Information Rules: A Strategic Guide to the Network Economy

Abstract: The article reviews the book “Information Rules: A Strategic Guide to the Network Economy,” by Carl Shapiro and Hal R. Varian.

Specification and Estimation of Spatial Autoregressive Models with Autoregressive and Heteroskedastic Disturbances

Abstract: One important goal of this study is to develop a methodology of inference for a widely used Cliff-Ord type spatial model containing spatial lags in the dependent variable, exogenous variables, and the disturbance terms, while allowing for unknown heteroskedasticity in the innovations. We first generalize the generalized moments (GM) estimator suggested in Kelejian and Prucha (1998,1999) for the spatial autoregressive parameter in the disturbance process. We prove the consistency of our estimator; unlike in our earlier paper we also determine its asymptotic distribution, and discuss issues of efficiency. We then define instrumental variable (IV) estimators for the regression parameters of the model and give results concerning the joint asymptotic distribution of those estimators and the GM estimator under reasonable conditions. Much of the theory is kept general to cover a wide range of settings. We note the estimation theory developed by Kelejian and Prucha (1998, 1999) for GM and IV estimators and by Lee (2004) for the quasi-maximum likelihood estimator under the assumption of homoskedastic innovations does not carry over to the case of heteroskedastic innovations. The paper also provides a critical discussion of the usual specification of the parameter space.