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on Information and Communication Technologies |
| By: | Carla Guerriero (Università di Napoli Federico II and CSEF); Rosella Levaggi (Università di Brescia); Paolo Li Donni (University of Palermo); Sara Moccia (University of Naples Federico II.) |
| Abstract: | This paper investigates the effect of broadband internet diffusion on patient mobility in Italy’s decentralized healthcare systems. Using comprehensive provincial-level data from2013 to 2019 on broadband coverage and hospital-based oncological procedures, we consider how improved internet access affects patients’ decisions to seek treatment outside their region or province of residence. We find that increased broadband availability significantly reduces patient mobility for cancer care, particularly for complex conditions with lower survival rates such pancreatic and lung cancer. The effect is more pronounced among younger patients and those residing in the South of Italy, where perceptions of local care quality are poorer. By contrast, the impact is weaker among older patients and individuals traveling from Central Italy. Our findings suggest that enhanced digital connectivity lowers information frictions, enabling patients to better evaluate local healthcare options and thereby avoiding some unnecessary cross-regional mobility. This paper contributes to two strands of the literature: on the role of information in healthcare markets and on the broader effects of internet infrastructure on health-related decision-making. Our results underscore the role of policies for digital inclusion in mitigating regional healthcare disparities and improving patient decision-making. |
| Date: | 2025–10–07 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:sef:csefwp:762 |
| By: | Marc Ivaldi (TSE-R - Toulouse School of Economics - UT Capitole - Université Toulouse Capitole - Comue de Toulouse - Communauté d'universités et établissements de Toulouse - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement); Nicolas Petit (EUI - European University Institute - Institut Universitaire Européen); Selçukhan Unekbas (EUI - European University Institute - Institut Universitaire Européen) |
| Abstract: | The killer acquisitions theory states that established firms buy new businesses to pre-empt future competition, particularly in the pharmaceutical and digital industries. The theory fuels demand to make merger policy more restrictive. But is the theory of killer acquisitions supported by empirical facts? Focusing on past investigations by the European Commission in information technology industries, this article studies whether acquisitions by large technology companies reduce competition by eliminating future rivalry. Despite the small sample size, the findings suggest that none of the reviewed transaction was followed by the disappearance of the target's products, a weakening of competing firms, and/or a post-merger lowering or absence of entry and innovation. |
| Keywords: | killer acquisitions, case study, dynamic competition, innovation, mergers and acquisitions, nascent competitors |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-05308625 |
| By: | Diakité, Nanamoudou; Diallo, Ibrahima; Sene, Babacar; Sene, Omar |
| Abstract: | The rapid digitalization of sub-Saharan Africa has generated considerable hope for territorial development. Yet behind the dominant discourse of technological leapfrogging lies a troubling reality: the digital divide may amplify existing inequalities rather than reduce them. This study examines this crucial question through analysis of six West African countries using Afrobarometer Round 9 data. We construct a multidimensional digital divide index integrating equipment access, internet usage, and information isolation, then quantify its association with three essential services: drinking water, health, and education. Our results reveal three major findings that challenge current policies. First, formal education constitutes the most powerful determinant of digital inclusion, well ahead of wealth or geographic location. Second, digital divide is strongly associated with deficits in access to essential services, and this association persists even after rigorous control for territorial heterogeneity via district fixed effects models. Third, contrary to expectations, the impact of digital exclusion does not vary significantly between rural and urban areas, suggesting that marginalization transcends simple geographic dichotomy. |
| Keywords: | digital divide, basic services, social capital, West Africa, territorial development |
| JEL: | O33 O55 H41 I38 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:esprep:329654 |