News Archive
April 2, 2012New staff member
Swiss Economics welcomes Dr. Sonia Strube Martins as a new staff member!
After her studies in economics at the University of Münster Sonia Strube Martins received a doctoral degree in economics and worked as Senior Economist at Wissenschaftliches Institut für Infrastruktur- und Kommunikationsdienste in Bad Honnef. At Swiss Economics she works as a project manager with a focus on competitive analysis of markets, regulation in network industries and economic policy.
February 20, 2012
Convergence in the communications market and regulatory challenges
Convergence of physical letter mail and electronic substitutes challenges postal operators and the regulatory framework alike. In its update Swiss Economics analyzes and discusses the economic context.
To the document
February 16, 2012
Publication on defensive strategies
How should incumbent operators react to new market entries? Our most recent publication develops optimal strategies for defense based on a game-theoretic application of the defender model in the postal market.
Christian Jaag, Dietl Helmut, Urs Trinkner, Oliver Fürst (2012). "Defending Mail Markets Against New Entrants: An Application of the Defender Model". In Multi-Modal Competition And The Future Of Mail. Edited by M. Crew and P.R. Kleindorfer, Edward Elgar, pp. 236-246.
To the book
To the Working Paper
September 30, 2011
Presentation on Competition and Regulation in the Postal Sector
At the Post-Expo 2011 World Postal Business Forum Christian Jaag gave a presentation on "The role of the universal service obligation in postal competition".
To the document
September 15, 2011
Publication on the Financing of Universal Service Obligations
The paper "What is an Unfair Burden? Compensating the Net Cost of Universal Service Provision" by Christian Jaag appeared in the Review of Network Economics. It discusses the net cost of universal service obligations and the potential burden they represent on the universal service provider. Specifically, it analyzes the situation in the postal sector after full liberalization.
The paper considers various interpretations of what an unfair burden might be and discusses the competitive impact of corresponding compensation scenarios by means of a stylized theoretical model with endogenous entry and coverage decisions.
To the paper
June 6, 2011
Presentations at the 19th CPDE in Jersey
Swiss Economics contributed two presentations and papers to the 19th Conference on Postal and Delivery Economics:
"Defending Mail Markets against New Entrants"
To the slides
"Future of USO - Economic rationale for universal services and implications for a future-oriented definition of universal service obligations"
To the slides
March 8, 2011
Career Start in Economic Consulting
Swiss Economics is looking for a passionate and exceptional economist with the capability to apply the most recent microeconomical concepts and to find pragmatic and robust solutions to complex problems. You are aiming at earning a doctorate to deepen your knowledge in industrial and regulatory economics and looking for an exciting career start opportunity in economic consultancy.
We are looking forward to receiving your CV and covering letter.
February 14, 2011
Impact of VAT-Exemptions in the Postal Sector on Competition and Welfare
The research article "Impact of VAT-Exemptions in the Postal Sector on Competition and Welfare" by Swiss Economics and researchers from the University of Zurich shows how service providers exempted from the obligation to pay a value added tax are favored in competition. Further, this unequal treatment substantially affects outsourcing decisions and the labor market.
Dietl Helmut, Christian Jaag, Markus Lang, Martin Lutzenberger and Urs Trinkner (2011). "Impact of VAT-Exemptions in the Postal Sector on Competition and Welfare". In Reinventing the Postal Sector in an Electronic Age. Edited by M. Crew and P.R. Kleindorfer, Edward Elgar, pp. 267-280.
Published in the same book: Maegli, Martin, Christian Jaag, Martin Koller and Urs Trinkner (2011). "Postal Markets and Electronic Substitution: Implications for Regulatory Practices and Institutions in Europe". In Reinventing the Postal Sector in an Electronic Age. Edited by M. Crew and P.R. Kleindorfer, Edward Elgar, pp. 109-122.
January 21, 2011
New research published
The research article "The interaction between universal service costing and financing in the postal sector: a calibrated approach" by Christian Jaag and Urs Trinkner has been published by the Journal of Regulatory Economics.
To the document
November 30, 2010
Presentation at the DG MARKT economic seminar
Christian Jaag gave a presentation on "Yet another case of unintended consequences: VAT exemption and the public interest" at the DG MARKT economic seminar.
The presentation illustrates the distortive effects of VAT exemptions on competition in a newly liberalized industry and how they can be included in the calculation of the net cost of universal service obligations.
To the document
November 22, 2010
Presentation on "An Economic Framework to Understand and Assess Regulations in Network Industries"
Christian Jaag presented the paper "An Economic Framework to Understand and Assess Regulations in Network Industries" at the 2010 Conference on Competition and Regulation in Network Industries.
In addition to a theoretical framework, he also presented two applications: Liberalization in network industries and the development of regulation in the postal sector.
To the document
October 4, 2010
New staff member
Swiss Economics welcomes Oliver Fürst as a new staff member!
Oliver Fürst holds a Master of Arts in Economics and Business Administration from the University of Zürich. At Swiss Economics he works as a consultant for strategy and regulation in network industries.
September 16, 2010
Presentations at the Conference on Trends and Innovation for the Postal Market
Swiss Economics contributed three new research papers to the Conference on Trends and Innovation for the Postal Market:
Post Office Network Realignments and their Impact on Innovation
To the presentation
Postal Regulation, Declining Mail Volumes, and Transformation of Business Models?
To the presentation
Postal markets and electronic substitution: What is the impact of intermodal competition on regulatory practices and institutions? The paper has received the "best paper award".
To the document
June 4, 2010
Presentations at the 18th Conference on Postal and Delivery Economics
Swiss Economics contributed three presentations to the 18th Conference on Postal and Delivery Economics:
Impact of VAT-Exemptions in the Postal Sector on Competition and Welfare
Postal Markets and Electronic Substitution: What is the Impact of Convergence on Regulatory Practices and Institutions?
Practical Approaches to USO Costing and Financing
November 20, 2009
Presentation on International FTTH-Policies
At the "Second Annual Conference on Competition and Regulation in Network Industries" Christian Jaag has given a presentation on "Approaches to FTTH-Regulation: An International Comparison".
To the document
October 15, 2009
Presentation on the Future of Universal Services in the Postal Sector
At the "IPC Senior Executive Forum on Regulation" Urs Trinkner has given a presentation on "Shaping the USO? An Outline of Thought from an Economic Perspective".
To the document
October 1, 2009
Presentation on Price Regulation in Postal Markets
At the 42nd Freiburger Verkehrsseminar, Christian Jaag has given a presentation on "Preisobergrenzen in liberalisierten Postmärkten" (in german).
To the document
November 28, 2008
Contribution to the 1st Annual Conference on Competition and Regulation in Network Industries
Christian Jaag und Urs Trinkner have presented their paper "Regulation in Network Industries: Theory and Practice" at the 1st Annual Conference on Competition and Regulation in Network Industries.
October 8, 2008
Presentation on the Cost of Universal Service Provision in the Postal Sector
At the 1st European Postal Benchmarking Workshop on Regulatory and Legal Affairs in Brussels, Christian Jaag has given a presentation on "Calculating the Net Cost of the USO".