The Research Training Group 1974 focusses on Competition Economics. In our initial proposal to establish this RTG, we pointed out several thematic and methodological peculiarities that characterize the research program Competition Economics. For instance, the Research-Training Group investigates competition issues with different economic methods, namely theoretical microeconomics, statistics and econometric data analysis as well as experimental economics. Our research aims at deriving concrete policy solutions and policy recommendations for competition policy and market regulation purposes based on new and sound scientific insights. Moreover, our approach takes into account the institutions of the political and regulatory environment. It also considers boundedly rational consumer behavior.The program is divided into three focus areas being connected and complementing one another. The focus area “Institutions” analyzes the design and the consequences of competition rules and market regulation both at a general and at a sector-specific level. The area “New Markets” comprises the emerging digital economy (including multi-sided markets with network effects), the impact of current automation processes on competition and new tendencies in internationally related markets. On top of rational consumer behavior, the third area “Consumer Behavior” examines new behavioral economic approaches that focus on, for example, limited attention, loss aversion, self-control problems or strategic naivety of consumers.The Research Training Group encourages independent research right from the beginning through a range of focus-area-oriented topics courses. Relevant research topics in competition economics can also be identified in a program for visiting researchers. The Research Workshop is the training group’s platform for scientific debate and intense and lively interaction. The qualification program includes a series of milestones, which support the planning of the dissertations and make the expected goals of the program transparent. Milestones are also an important element of quality control. The immediate guidance by mentors and the early assignment to two supervisors are important elements of the supervision strategy.
DFG Programme
Research Training Groups
