Industrial Economists Please...

[Solly]

I'm looking for a really good website about it. Especially relating to the Structure-Conduct-Performance thing, with hopefully a good bit of of empirics about it.

[DaShi]

www.google.com

[Solly]

Just keeping getting lecture notes from unis, not helpful at all

[Solly]

"industrial policy" schmalensee

[Adam Smith]

Does it have to be a website?

Industrial Market Structure and Economic Performance by Scherer and Ross (3rd or 4th ed is out now) is very good on the structure - conduct - performance paradigm, with LOTS of references to empirical studies, etc.

Viscusi, Vernon, and Harrington's book (the title escapes me - I think it is something like Economics of Regulation and Antitrust) is also very good (3rd or 4th ed is out now). Again, lots of empirical studies cited. The problems are especially good for developing understanding. (I studied for field exams by doing every problem in the book.)

[Solly]

Cheers. The problem with books is that I only have about 18 hours before my test, and 9 of that will hopefully be spent sleeping, so I'm looking for a quick and easy analysis.

I'll have a look for them in the library though, and see if they have chapter summaries..

[TCO]

From more of an MBA perspective, Porter's book is the classic on industry structure affecting returns.

WRT SCP, I always thought that was a McKinseyism. It is a framework that they had for looking at certain types of business problems/issues. But is not quantitative. More of a thought organizer.

[Solly]

Yeah, well...the exam was this morning, and I think I flew through it thanks to the reading. I answered questions on vertical integration, diversification, and technology policy.

[Adam Smith]

Now if you had only learned the material....

[Solly]

I did learn it. Not during lectures, but in the week before the exam

Here are the ones I did..

1) Consider the motivation for, and limits on, vertical integration by a firm.

2) Examine the view that while the existence of economies of scope may explain concentric diversification for firms alternative explanations need to be considered for conglomerate diversification.

7b) "Left to itself, the market system fails to generate an appropriate level of innovative activity." Explain why and consider various policy measures to deal with the problem.

If I can remember, I'll post my scores when they get published...

[TCO]

1 and 2 are well handled out of Porter. It is the classic. You should get it. It is frigging boring and could be slimmed down incredibly, but what do you expect of an MBA prof. They are idiots except for the finance guys.