Showing archive for: “Economics”
Against Consumer Choice as an Antitrust Standard (Some Preliminary Thoughts)
The “consumer choice” approach to antitrust is increasingly discussed in a variety of settings, and endorsed by regulators and in scholarship, especially but not exclusively in the Section 5 context. The fundamental idea is that the “conventional” efficiency approach embedded in the total and/or consumer welfare standards is too cramped and does not measure the ... Against Consumer Choice as an Antitrust Standard (Some Preliminary Thoughts)
The Limits of Behavioral Law and Economics, Australia Edition
At the excellent Core Economics blog, Andreas Ortman discusses an Australian policy debate involving the Review of the Governance, Efficiency, Structure and Operation of Australia’s Superannuation System (also known as the Cooper Review), and more specifically, retirement savings and the superannuation system. The Cooper Review drafters contend that the behavioral economics literature strongly supports a ... The Limits of Behavioral Law and Economics, Australia Edition
Lynn Stout on “criminogenic” hedge funds and insider trading
Lynn Stout, writing in the Harvard Business Review’s blog, claims that hedge funds are uniquely “criminogenic” environments. (Not surprisingly, Frank Pasquale seems reflexively to approve): My research, shows that people’s circumstances affect whether they are likely to act prosocially. And some hedge funds provided the circumstances for encouraging an antisocial behavior like not obeying the ... Lynn Stout on “criminogenic” hedge funds and insider trading
Nocera on the uncorporation and the financial crisis
The Glom’s having a book club on McLean & Nocera’s All the Devils Are Here. I haven’t read the book (it takes a lot to get me to read a book by business journalists). But I have read David Zaring’s interview with his “favorite Times columnist. One of the questions and answers naturally piqued my ... Nocera on the uncorporation and the financial crisis
Richard Thaler’s Rejoinder to the TOTM Free to Choose Symposium
I have now had a chance to read through the contributions to this event and have a few thoughts to share. I cannot, of course, reply to everything that has been said here, and in any case, most of what I would say already appears in print. Before getting into specifics let me say one ... Richard Thaler’s Rejoinder to the TOTM Free to Choose Symposium
Judge Kozinski on over-criminalizing agency costs
In U.S. v. Goyal, the government contended that the defendant, former CFO of Network Associates, had violated GAAP by causing the company to recognize revenue from certain sales sooner than it should have, and of lying to the company’s auditor. The jury convicted defendant of securities fraud, false SEC filings, and making materially false statements ... Judge Kozinski on over-criminalizing agency costs
Free to Choose Wrapup
Thanks to all of the participants for the excellent posts over the last two days. There are a couple of excellent comment threads where the conversation continues, and I hope that over the next few days participants and readers will get a chance to comment on the posts. Indeed, if any of the participants feel ... Free to Choose Wrapup
Ginsburg and Wright on Behavioral Law and Economics: the Never-Ending Quest for a Third Way
In the brave new world contemplated by the advocates of government policies informed by behavioral law and economics, many more aspects of each individual’s life will be regulated, or more stringently regulated, than at present. Within the legal academy, the growth of the behavioral law and economics movement has been dramatic. Surveying all legal publications ... Ginsburg and Wright on Behavioral Law and Economics: the Never-Ending Quest for a Third Way
Ginsburg and Wright on A Taxonomy of Behavioral Law and Economics Skepticism
The behavioral economics research agenda is an ambitious one for several reasons. The first reason is that behavioral economics requires a theory “true” preferences aside from – and in opposition to — the “revealed” preferences of the decision maker. A second reason is that while collecting and documenting individual biases in an ad hoc fashion ... Ginsburg and Wright on A Taxonomy of Behavioral Law and Economics Skepticism
Judd Stone on Behavioral Economics, Administrative Agencies, and Unintended Consequences
Professors Henderson and Ribstein touch on two theoretical failures of the behavioralist movement which both reveal the prematurity of ‘behaviorally-informed’ regulatory proposals: the behavioralist assumptions that (1) behavioral biases theoretically necessitate, or at least enable, public intervention, and (2) governmental entities can net improve individual outcomes over the status quo of unfettered, if limited, human ... Judd Stone on Behavioral Economics, Administrative Agencies, and Unintended Consequences
Todd Henderson on Project Behavior: What the Battle is Really About
Lying in bed for the past day with a stomach bug, I’ve enjoyed reading the contributions of my friends and colleagues. Perhaps the wisest course would be to, like Leonardo DiCaprio’s character pretending to be a doctor in “Catch Me If You Can,” say “I concur” and slip back under the covers. My general views ... Todd Henderson on Project Behavior: What the Battle is Really About
Erin O’Hara on The Free Market Side of Behavioral Law and Economics
Behavioral law and economics (“BLE”) can influence legal policy analysis and regulation in many ways. On balance, it is not at all clear that this new paradigm undermines a policy commitment to markets. From one vantage point, the BLE movement can be said to help preserve markets. Importantly, those using the paradigm often start with ... Erin O’Hara on The Free Market Side of Behavioral Law and Economics
