Liberalizations in Network Industries ― Economics, Policy and Politics

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.

Antonio Nicita?is Professor of Economic Policy at “Sapienza” University of Rome and Board Member of the Italian Communications Regulatory Authority – AGCOM. He has been Visiting Scholar at the University of Cambridge, Fulbright Visiting Professor at the Yale School of Law, Research Associate and Scientific Advisor for the Centre for Media Freedom and Media Pluralism and Visiting Professor at the European University Institute. His research interests cover: network industries regulation, industrial policies, law and economics.

Filippo Belloc?is Associate Professor of Public Economics at the University of Chieti-Pescara. He was Visiting Fellow at the University of Cambridge, Visiting Researcher at the UCLA, Research Associate at the European University Institute and consultant for the OECD. His research interests cover: economics of institutions and industrial policies, law policies, regulation and firm performance.