Technology Giants, the Moligopoly Hypothesis and Holistic Competition: A Primer

76 Pages Posted: 22 Oct 2016 Last revised: 18 Jun 2019

See all articles by Nicolas Petit

Nicolas Petit

European University Institute - Department of Law (LAW)

Date Written: October 20, 2016

Abstract

This paper shows that the technology giants that antitrust agencies tend to characterize as entrenched monopolists can also be seen as firms engaged in a process of vibrant oligopolistic competition. Those firms - we refer to them as "moligopolists" - compete against the non-consumption in search of new and low-end market footholds. The failure of the antitrust structure to see that rivalry – its intensity may vary from one company to another – originates both in mainstream economics and applied competition theory. We believe those defects can be cured with a rechanneling of antitrust policy towards certain types of restraints, in certain types of market settings.

Keywords: Technology, Digital Economy, Monopoly, Antitrust, Economics, Strategy, Disruption

JEL Classification: K00, K20, K21, K40, K42, L40, L41

Suggested Citation

Petit, Nicolas, Technology Giants, the Moligopoly Hypothesis and Holistic Competition: A Primer (October 20, 2016). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2856502 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2856502

Nicolas Petit (Contact Author)

European University Institute - Department of Law (LAW) ( email )

Via Bolognese 156 (Villa Salviati)
50-139 Firenze
Italy

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