Antitrust and Innovation: What the Alarmists Get Wrong

Information Technology and Innovation Foundation
Tuesday, October 3, 2017
12:00–1:30 p.m.
https://www.itif.org/events/2017/10/03/antitrust-and-innovation-what-ala...

Many technology industries are characterized by relatively high levels of industry concentration, with one or a few firms holding significant market share. This has sparked alarm in some regions, such as Europe, and among both progressive advocates on the left and populists on the right. Many are asserting that such concentration is anti-consumer and are calling for more aggressive antitrust enforcement, including limiting mergers and even breaking up large firms.

Yet, starting with the work of economist Joseph Schumpeter, and building steadily in the last two decades, many antitrust scholars have shown that innovation industries have unique characteristics that lead to increased concentration—and moreover that, in many cases, the concentration helps consumers and spurs economic growth.

A panel discussion on the ongoing policy debate about competition policy in innovation industries, including the latest research on the unique economics of innovation industries.

Speakers

Robert D. Atkinson
President
Information Technology and Innovation Foundation
Moderator

Carl Shapiro
Transamerica Professor of Business Strategy, Haas School of Business at the University of California at Berkeley.

John M. Yun
Director of Economic Education at the Global Antitrust Institute (GAI), George Mason University Antonin Scalia Law School

Lunch will be served.

This event also will be live-streamed and a recording will be available following the event. Follow @ITIFdc during the event and join the conversation.