Liberalizations in Network Industries: Economics, Policy and Politics

Authors: Antonio Nicita, Filippo Belloc



Provides a better understanding of network industries economics

Presents new interpretations of liberalizations and privatizations

Discusses up-to-date data and analysis on network industries restructuring

This book explores the wave of liberalization reforms experienced by OECD network industries. Focusing on the telecommunications sector, the authors analyze the latest data available on liberalization and privatization, and following a political economics approach, they integrate standard economic analysis with the most recent studies of the political determinants of market-oriented policies. The book presents new econometric evidence on several policy issues, including institutional complementarities dynamics, the problem of policy sequencing and the role of government political ideology. The detailed and comprehensive discussion offers insights into how so many countries adopting similar reforms actually differ in their policy “bundling”, intensity and implementation of liberalization and privatization.

Table of contents

The Liberalization of Network Industries: Meaning and Purpose

Liberalizations, Privatizations, and Institutional Market Design

Liberalization, Antitrust, and Pro-Consumer Policies

Liberalization Patterns: The Case of Electronic Communications

Political Market Design in Network Industries

The Way Ahead