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AbstractAntitrust authorities view the exchange of information among firms regarding costs, prices, or sales as anticompetitive. Such exchanges allow competitors to closely monitor each other, thereby facilitating collusion. But the exchange of aggregate information, perhaps via a third party, is legal. The logic is that collusion is difficult if the identity of a price‐cutting firm cannot be ascertained. Here, we examine this logic using Stigler's model of secret price cuts. We first identify circumstances such that when no information exchange is possible, collusion is difficult. We then show that if firms' aggregate sales are made public, nearly perfect collusion is possible.

Information exchange in policy networks is usually attributed to preference similarity, influence reputation, social trust, and institutional actor roles. We suggest that political opportunity structures and transaction costs play another crucial role and estimate a rich statistical network model on tie formation in the German toxic chemicals policy domain. The results indicate that the effect of preference similarity is absorbed by institutional, relational, and social opportunity structures. Political actors choose contacts who minimize transaction costs while maximizing outreach and information. We also find that different types of information exchange operate in complementary, but not necessarily congruent, ways.

Schlecker

PurposeVendor managed inventory (VMI) is a model for supply chain collaboration gaining ground in multiple industries around the world. Forecasting is one of several means to predict future demand. The purpose of this paper is to identify what types of advance demand data would be valuable to the supplier for successful replenishment planning in cases of VMI, frequency and means of information exchange.Design/methodology/approachThe work is based on a literature review and a multiple case study where both successful and unsuccessful VMI collaboration programs are studied. In all cases, the supplier or the customer was a manufacturer. The discussion is based on case‐observations of causes and effects that are compared with existing literature.FindingsIt is found that current inventory status and sales forecasts are the most important kinds of information to be made available to the supplier in a VMI relationship. This also conforms with the general perception of the literature review. Some kinds of information are found valuable while other kinds are found not to be of importance. It was also found that kinds of information differ with the type of supply chain activities being performed by the customer, i.e. there is a different kind of information recommended when the customer makes to stock than when he is a wholesaler or a manufacturer making to order. This observation has not been discussed in the literature reviewed.Research limitations/implicationsThe value of generalization from case studies is subject to general discussion. The cases applied in this research encompass Norwegian suppliers and dyads at the upstream end of the value chain. Geographically related cultural differences might limit the applicability of this work.Originality/valueThe findings support the existing literature and this paper takes a practitioner's perspective on information sharing. The aim is to offer a comprehensive yet educational view of information sharing and VMI.

The aim of this paper is to provide an insight into the influencing factors of international police information exchange conducted by the Single Points of Contact (SPOC) and the Police and Customs Cooperation Centre (PCCC) within the EU. The author achieves this goal by introducing the relevant scientific theories and the results of the conducted quantitative research. The research identifies the influencing environments of cross-border information exchange and through this, finds supporting and hindering factors such as organisational structure, culture, leadership, legislation, and ICT environment. Findings can help decision makers and end users to overcome everyday obstacles. ; Celem niniejszego artykułu jest przedstawienie czynników wpływających na międzynarodową wymianę informacji policyjnych prowadzoną przez unijne Pojedyncze Punkty Kontaktowe (SPOC) oraz Centrum Współpracy Policyjno-Celnej (PCCC). Autor stara się osiągnąć ten cel przedstawiając wybrane teorie naukowe i wyniki przeprowadzonych badań ilościowych. Artykuł identyfikuje środowisko transgranicznej wymiany informacji, a dzięki temu wskazuje czynniki wspierające i utrudniające, takie jak struktura organizacyjna, kultura, przywództwo, prawodawstwo i środowisko ICT. Wyniki badań mogą pomóc decydentom i użytkownikom pokonywać codzienne przeszkody w tej dziedzinie.