F24 MCP 15 Vertical Issues

Page 1: Introduction to Vertical Issues

  • Background Topics

    • Supply Chains

    • Transactions Costs

    • Coase's Make or Buy Decision

    • Boundaries of a Firm

  • Vertical Integration

    • Pros:

      • Greater control over the supply chain

      • Cost savings

      • Improved product quality

    • Cons:

      • Higher management costs

      • Reduced flexibility

      • Potential for regulatory scrutiny

  • Distribution Problems

    • Hold-Up Issues

    • Double Marginalization

    • Free Riding by Dealers

    • Free Riding by Manufacturers

  • Vertical Merger Policy

  • Vertical Restrictions

    • Resale Price Maintenance

    • Tying Arrangements

    • Reciprocity

    • Exclusive Dealing

    • Territorial Restrictions

Page 2: Types of Relationships in Supply Chain

  • Horizontal Relationships

    • Within the same market

  • Vertical Relationships

    • Up and down the supply chain

Page 3: Understanding the Supply Chain

  • Upstream (Production)

    • Backward Vertical Integration

  • Downstream (Distribution)

    • Forward Vertical Integration

  • Supply Chain Example:

    • Wheat Seed  Grain Elevator (stored)  Miller (ground)  Baker (baked)  Restaurant (assembled)

Page 4: Key Characteristics of Vertical Relationships

  • B2B Dynamics:

    • Most firms sell to other firms instead of directly to consumers

    • Price, quality, advertising, and service controlled differently

  • Demand Dependency:

    • Manufacturer's demand is influenced by dealer’s conduct

  • Competitive Landscape:

    • Dealers compete, consumers do not

  • Market Power Issues:

    • Smaller number of downstream firms can reduce market power

  • Principal-Agent Problem:

    • Difficulty monitoring dealer behavior

Page 5: Antitrust Law Overview

  • Broad Scope:

    • Exclusionary Practices, Collusion, Price Discrimination

  • Vertical Merger Concerns:

    • Responses to Double Marginalization and Hold-Up

    • Market Foreclosure implications

Page 6: Case Study - Comcast and Time Warner Cable Merger

  • Attempted Acquisition:

    • Proposed stock swap deal valued at roughly $45.2 billion

  • Arguments for Merger:

    • Increased competition and customer service

  • Opposition:

    • Concerns about reduced competition and higher service costs

  • Final Outcome:

    • DOJ planned antitrust lawsuit against the merger

Page 7: Comcast's Role in Content Acquisition

  • Content Acquisition Dynamic:

    • Major buyer of content, shaping market balance

Page 8: Cost Analysis of Apple Watch

  • Cost Breakdown:

    • Hardware costs represent only a portion of the MSRP

    • Teardown reveals cost vs. retail price considerations

Page 9: Overview of Transaction Costs

  • Steps in Transactions:

    • Partner search, evaluation, negotiation, contract management

    • Delivery and payment implications

  • Economic Models:

    • Assumption of no transaction costs in perfect competition

Page 10: Transaction Costs Example in 'Breaking Bad'

  • Cost Implications:

    • Issues faced include legal, supplier unpredictability, and arrest risks

Page 11: Transaction Costs in 401(k) Plans

  • Administrative Fees:

    • Various fees can impact retirement savings significantly

Page 12: Vertical Integration Considerations for Subway

  • Questions on Vertical Integration:

    • Should Subway own the bread production process?

Page 13: Coase's Make or Buy Decision Insights

  • Transactional Cost Model:

    • Identify manageable steps within a complex production process

Page 14: Ronald Coase’s Theory on Firm Boundaries

  • Market Failures:

    • Transactions costs define whether to use market contracts or internal production

Page 15: Herbert Simon’s Bounded Rationality Concept

  • Human Limitations:

    • Rationality constraints lead to simplified decision-making processes

Page 16: Opportunism by Oliver Williamson

  • Opportunism Defined:

    • Self-interest seeking with potential deceit

Page 17: Integrating Key Theories

  • Combining Perspectives:

    • Coase on firm boundaries, Simon on bounded rationality, Williamson on opportunism

Page 18: Summary of Transaction Cost Economics

  • Efficiency in Governance:

    • Emphasize organizing transactions to mitigate risks and costs

Page 19: Services Reducing Transaction Costs

  • Example:

    • Function of matchmakers and agents in minimizing complications

Page 20: Real-World Make or Buy Decisions

  • Thanksgiving Feast Analogy:

    • Factors influencing personal make-or-buy decisions

Page 21: When to Make vs. When to Buy

  • Considerations:

    • Appropriateness of internal production versus market sourcing

Page 22: Vertical Integration Characteristics

  • Defining Vertical Integration:

    • Indicator based on production stages handled internally

Page 23: Degrees of Vertical Integration in Businesses

  • General Observations:

    • Importance of internalizing market exchanges

Page 24: Marginal Analysis of Integration Decisions

  • Cost-Effectiveness:

    • Determine optimal degree of vertical integration

Page 25: Organizational Optimization Factors

  • Environmental Influences:

    • Consider external and internal strategic decisions

Page 26: Hartzler Family Dairy Example

  • Vertical Integration Model:

    • Case study in dairy processing and retail via integration

Page 27: Costs of Vertical Integration

  • When Is VI a Bad Idea?:

    • High costs, difficult management, and regulatory scrutiny

Page 28: Benefits of Vertical Integration

  • Reasons to Conduct VI:

    • Internal efficiencies, reduced transaction costs, quality assurance

Page 29: VI and Government Intervention

  • Avoiding Regulatory Challenges:

    • Choices made to evade price controls and optimize tax rates

Page 30: VI to Minimize Market Power

  • Strategic Presence Creation:

    • Building market presence to counteract powerful buyers/sellers

Page 31: Example Company - Findus

  • Product Assurance:

    • Marketing and production commitment to quality standards

Page 32: Ensuring Product Quality through VI

  • Addressing Quality Concerns:

    • Internal measures to prevent adverse selection

Page 33: Internalizing Externalities with VI

  • Reputation Management:

    • Maintaining brand equity across multiple locations

Page 34: Securing Supply Chains with VI

  • Supply Assurance:

    • Maintaining control over critical inputs during shortages

Page 35: Diversification of Suppliers - Apple Case Study

  • Risk Management:

    • Apple’s shift to reduce reliance on single suppliers like Foxconn

Page 36: Case Studies on Global Supply Chain Disruptions

  • Recent Events on Supply Chains:

    • Impact of external factors on global supply chains

Page 37: Container-Freight Cost Challenges

  • Shipping Issues:

    • Ongoing issues due to pandemic-related disruptions impacting delivery

Page 38: Transaction Costs and Contractual Complexity

  • Unpredictability of Contracts:

    • Real-world examples of complications in contractual negotiations

Page 39: Alaska Packers Case Study - Hold-Up Example

  • Legal Case Overview:

    • Resolution regarding complex payment negotiations

Page 40: Hold-Up Situations and Solutions

  • Supplier Dependence:

    • Strategies to avoid opportunism in supplier relations

Page 41: Vertical Integration Development Strategy Examples

  • Value-Added Approaches:

    • Maintaining market power through integration or exclusive arrangements

Page 42: Double Markup Concerns with Vertical Firms

  • Economic Impact:

    • Analysis of successive monopolies leading to consumer disadvantages

Page 43: Competitive Markets and Structure Overview

  • Market Dynamics:

    • Analysis of firm behaviors across different market structures

Page 44: Pricing Issues in Vertical Disintegration

  • Double Marginalization Problem:

    • Economic conflict arising from pricing strategies at different firm levels

Page 45: Solution to Double Marginalization - Vertical Integration

  • Benefits of Merging Up and Down the Supply Chain:

    • Addressing inefficiencies in pricing and supply

Page 46: Competitive Retail Dynamics - Perfect Competition Scenario

  • Market Power Analysis:

    • Effects of competition on pricing strategies and consumer benefits

Page 47: Contractual Solutions to Double Markup Problems

  • Innovative Contracting:

    • Potential strategies to mitigate double markup issues in sales relations

Page 48: Understand the Ranking in Franchise Systems

  • Franchise rankings and metrics:

    • Key factors affecting franchise evaluations

Page 49: Franchise 500 Overview

  • Examples of Successful Franchises:

    • Insights into the performance of leading franchises

Page 50: Subway Franchise Overview

  • Startup Costs and Operational Details:

    • Unique requirements and supports for operating a Subway franchise

Page 51: Summary on Make vs Buy Decisions

  • General Takeaways:

    • Firms choose to make or buy based on transaction efficiencies

Page 52: Recent Antitrust Cases Revisited

  • Summary of Vertical Restraints

  • Practical Examples:

    • Recap of notable cases related to vertical practice regulation

Page 53: Vertical Restrictions Explained

  • Antitrust Concerns in Vertical Relations

    • Overview of significant vertical restrictions and their implications

Page 54: Evaluating Vertical Mergers

  • Guidelines and Enforcement Principles

Page 55: FTC/DOJ Guidelines

  • Ongoing Review and Trends:

    • Discussion on changes in merger evaluation

Page 56: Inquiry on Merger Guidelines

  • Public Engagement for Policy Updates:

    • Continuous refinement of evaluation processes

Page 57: FTC and DOJ Strengthening Enforcement

  • Focus on Detecting Illegal Mergers

    • Emphasis on addressing anti-competitive behaviors

Page 58: Recent FTC/DOJ Workshops

  • Continued Dialogues on Antitrust Measures

Page 59: Vertical Restraints Explained

  • Principal-Agent Problems

    • Monitor and control dealer behaviors via contract design

Page 60: Solutions to Free Riding Mechanism

  • Strategies for Managing Incentive Alignment

    • Behavioral arrangements to counteract free-riding tendencies

Page 61: Retailer Coordination Challenges

  • Addressing Poor Dealer Performance

    • Explore upstream wholesaler's responses to inefficiencies

Page 62: Summary of Distribution Issues

  • Distribution Challenges and Solutions

    • Addressing the four main upstream responses to distribution issues

Page 63: Antitrust Risks Associated with Restraints

  • Regulatory Concerns and Restrictions

Page 64: Prevention of Wholesaler Free Riding

  • Restraint Mechanism in Wholesaler Relations

Page 65: Coordination and Externality Challenges

  • Impacts on Manufacturer's Profitability

Page 66: Vertical Issues in Antitrust Considerations

  • Potential Antitrust Violations

Page 67: Case Studies on Antitrust Issues

  • Practical Implications for Vertical Restraints

Page 68: Legal Limitations on Vertical Practices

  • Examples and Case Studies

Page 69: Tesla's Unique Distribution Challenges

  • Adaptations in Direct Sales Model

Page 70: Distinction Among Automotive Distribution Models

  • Comparative Analysis: franchises vs. direct sales

Page 71: Adaptive Distribution Techniques by Tesla

  • Legal Influences on Business Models

Page 72: Appendix: Industry Vertical Organization Diagram

  • Simplified Model for Understanding Industry Relations

Page 73: Influence of Vertical Integration on Profits

  • Monopolistic Strategies in Market Control

Page 74: Integration Decision Dynamics

  • Analyzing Variable and Fixed Technology Impacts

Page 75: Leontief Production Functions and VI

  • Static Outcomes of Vertical Integration

Page 76: Graphical Implications of Vertical Integration Decisions

  • Dynamic Shifts in Cost Structures

Page 77: Situational Analysis of Variable Technology

  • Profitable Outcomes and Firm Coordination

Page 78: Apple-Samsung Supply Relationship Overview

  • Complexity of Being a Competitor and Supplier