Research
My area of research is Industrial Organization and I mostly work on topics in competition economics, antitrust, market design, public procurement and the regulation of digital platforms.
My research is available also on Google Scholar, IDEAS, Academia.edu, Publons, CEPR and NBER.
SELECTED RESEARCH PAPERS
ONGOING RESEARCH & WORKING PAPERS
1. Artificial Intelligence & Data Obfuscation: Algorithmic Competition in Digital Ad Auctions (with G. Rovigatti, M. Rovigatti and K. Shakhgildyan), CEPR Discussion Paper 18009 (PDF).
2. “Competition and Defaults in Online Search” (with M. Li and F. Paternollo), CEPR Discussion Paper 17779 (PDF), R&R at the American Economic Journal: Microeconomics.
3. “Delays at the Border: Court Efficiency and Delays in Public Contracts” (with C. Menon and G. Mattera), CEPR Discussion Paper 14856 (PDF), R&R at Journal of Law, Economics and Organization.
4. “Procurement Centralization in the EU: The Case of Italy,” (with L. Castellani and G. Rovigatti) CEPR Discussion Paper 12567, 2018 (PDF).
5. “Measuring Complementarities in Vertical Markets: Evidence from Advertiser-Agency Matchings in the Digital Advertising Industry,” (with A. Chiantello, M. Goldmanis, A. Penta and K. Shakhgildyan).
6. “Past Performance and Procurement Outcomes” (with P. Andreyanov, R. Pacini and G. Spagnolo) (PDF).
7. “Procuring Medical Devices: The Price Effect of Mergers among Orthopaedic Prostheses Producers” (with V. Atella and N. Ceschin).
8. “Artificial Intelligence, Algorithmic Bidding and Collusion in Online Advertising” (with G. Rovigatti, M. Rovigatti and K. Shakhgildyan).
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
1. “Rules, Discretion, and Corruption in Procurement: Evidence from Italian Government Contracting,” (with R. Fisman, P. Pinotti and S. Vannutelli) NBER Paper 28209, 2020 (PDF), forthcoming at the Journal of Political Economy: Microeconomics.
2. Regulating Online Search in the EU: from the Android Case to the digital markets act and the digital services act (with M. Li), International Journal of Industrial Organization, Vol. 90, September 2023 (PDF).
3. “Bid Coordination in Sponsored Search Auctions: Detection Methodology and Empirical Analysis," (with M. Goldmanis, A. Penta and K. Shakhgildyan), Journal of Industrial Economics, Vol. 71, 2 June 2023, pp. 570-592 (PDF).
4. “Gender and bureaucratic corruption: Evidence from two countries” (with R. Fisman, P. Pinotti, S. Vannutelli and Y. Wang) Journal of Law, Economics and Organization, Vol. 39, 2 July 2023, pp. 557–585 (PDF).
5. “Buyers' Role in Innovation Procurement,” (with G. de Rassenfosse, L. Giuffrida, E. Iossa, V. Mollisi, E. Raiteri and G. Spagnolo), Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, 2021, Vol. 30, pp. 697-720 (PDF).
6. “From Mad Men to Maths Men: Concentration and Buyer Power in Online Advertising,” (with G. Rovigatti), American Economic Review, 2021, Vol. 111(10) (PDF).
7. “Bureaucratic Competence and Procurement Outcomes,” (with L. Giuffrida, E. Iossa, V. Mollisi and G. Spagnolo), The Journal of Law, Economics, and Organization, Vol. 36, 3 November 2020, pp. 537–597 (PDF).
8. “Marketing Agencies and Collusive Bidding in Online Ad Auctions,” (with M. Goldmanis and A. Penta), Management Science, 2020, Vol. 66(10), pp. 4359-4919 (PDF).
9. “Subsidy Design in Privately-Provided Social Insurance: Lessons from Medicare Part D” (with M. Polyakova and S. Ryan), Journal of Political Economy, May 2020, Vol. 128, no. 5, pp. 1712–1752 (PDF).
10. “Open Enrollment Periods and Plan Choices,” (with A. Guglielmo and C. Luscombe), Health Economics, July 2020, Vol. 29(7), pp. 733-747 (PDF)
11. “Comparing Procurement Auctions,” International Economic Review, Vol. 59, No. 2, pp. 391-419, May 2018 (PDF).
12. “Insurers Response to Selection Risk: Evidence from Medicare Enrollment Reforms” (with A. Guglielmo), Journal of Health Economics, 56, 2017, pp. 383–396 (PDF).
13. “Detecting Bidders Groups in Collusive Auctions,” (with T. Conley), American Economic Journal: Microeconomics, Vol. 8, No. 2 May 2016, pp. 1-38 (PDF).
14. “Renegotiation of Public Contracts: An Empirical Analysis” (with G. Palumbo), Economic Letters, Vol. 132, July 2015, pp. 77-81 (PDF).
15. “The Unintended Effects of the Medicare Part D Low Income Subsidy,” Health Policy, Vol. 119, Issue 5, May 2015, pp. 597-603 (PDF).
16. “Local Public Procurement Regulations: The Case of Italy,” (with C. Giorgiantonio), International Review of Law and Economics, Vol. 43, August 2015, pp 209–226 (PDF).
17. “Entry and Subcontracting in Public Procurement Auctions,” (with N. Branzoli) Management Science, Vol. 61, 12 December 2015, pp. 2945–2962 (PDF).
18. “Medicare Part D: Are Insurers Gaming the Low Income Subsidy Design?,” American Economic Review, April 2015, 105(4): 1547-80 (PDF).
19. “Awarding Price, Contract Performance and Bids Screening: Evidence from Procurement Auctions”, American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, Vol. 6, 1 January 2014, pp. 108-132 (PDF).
OTHER PUBLICATIONS: LAW JOURNALS, POLICY PAPERS AND BOOKS
20. “Predicting and Preventing Cartels in Price-Linked Markets: the Case of Average Bid Auctions” forthcoming in Cartels Diagnosed: New Insight on Collusion, edited by Joseph E. Harrington and Maarten Pieter Schinkel, Cambridge University Press.
21. “Quantification of antitrust damages in digital markets” (with N. Tosini and O. März) forthcoming in Research Handbook on Competition and Technology, edited by Pier Luigi Parcu, Maria Alessandra Rossi and Marco Botta, Edward Elgar.
22. “Procuring Medical Devices: Evidence from Italian Public Tenders” (with V. Atella) forthcoming at Journal of Computational Economics and Econometrics.
23. “Corruption Red Flags in Public Procurement: New Evidence from Italian Calls for Tenders,” (with C. Giorgiantonio), EPJ Data Science, Vol. 11, 2022 (PDF).
24. “Emergency procurement and the Covid19 crisis: insights from Italian administrative data,” (with C. Lotti, F. Marazzi and G. Spagnolo) Procurement in Focus: Rules, Discretion, and Emergencies, CEPR ebook, Chapter 12, O. Bandiera, E. Bosio and G. Spagnolo editors (PDF).
25. “The Role of Buyers’ Competence,” (with L. Giuffrida, E. Iossa and V. Mollisi) Procurement in Focus: Rules, Discretion, and Emergencies, CEPR ebook, Chapter 7, O. Bandiera, E. Bosio and G. Spagnolo editors (PDF).
26. “Appalti e Corruzione: Alcune Evidenze sulla Penetrazione Criminale negli Appalti di Lavori,” (with P. Pinotti) Il Diritto dell’Economia, n.3, 2021 (PDF).
27. “Burocrazia Difensiva: Cause, Indicatori e Rimedi,” (with. A. Battaglia, S. Battini, A. Blasini, V. Bontempi, M. Chiti, S. Mento, A. Pincini, A. Pirri Valentini, G. Sabato) Rivista Trimestrale di Diritto Pubblico, n.4, 2021, pp. 1295-1319 (PDF).
28. “I contratti pubblici: derogare alle regole o insegnarne il rispetto?,” (with A. Heimler), Mercato Concorrenza e Regole XXIII, n. 2, giugno 2021 (PDF).
29. “Indagine sull’Amministrazione Difensiva,” (with S. Battini), Rivista Italiana di Public Management - Studi e Proposte per Innovare la Pubblica Amministrazione, Vol.3 – n.2 – 2020 (PDF).
30. “Concorrenza e Monopolio,” Gnosis, Vol.4, 2020 (PDF)
31. “Procedure e criteri di selezione delle offerte negli appalti di lavori pubblici: la prospettiva dell’analisi microeconomica” Il Diritto dell’Economia, 2/2019 (PDF).
32. “L’amministrazione si difende,” (with S. Battini), Rivista Trimestrale di Diritto Pubblico, 1/2019 (PDF).
33. “Total knee arthroplasty in Italy: reflections from the last fifteen years and projections for the next thirty” (with E. Romanini, I. Luzi, G. Zanoli, M. Venosa. P. Laricchiuta, E. Carrani, M. Torre) International Orthopaedics, 6/10/2018 (PDF).
34. “Recent Developments in Online Ad Auctions,” (with M. Goldmanis and A.Penta) in Economic Analysis of the Digital Revolution, edited by J.J. Ganuza and G. Llobet, Funcas, Madrid, Sapin, 2018 (PDF).
35. “Il Processo di Centralizzazione degli Acquisti Pubblici: Tra Evoluzione Normativa e Evidenza Empirica,” (with L. Castellani e G. Rovigatti) Mercato Concorrenza Regole, 3, 2017, pp. 583 - 624 (it: PDF, eng: PDF).
36. “Competition in Procurement Markets: The Case of Medical Devices in Europe,” Italian Antitrust Review, 3, 2015 (PDF).
37. “Public Procurement of Healthcare in Europe: The Case of Medical Devices,” (with C. Giorgiantonio), Rivista di Politica Economica, Vol. 104 (4/4), pp. 7-36, 2015 (PDF).
38. Introduction to Public Procurement’s Place in the World: The Charge Toward Sustainability and Innovation (with M. Frey). Special issue of the Rivista di Politica Economica, April/June, 2013, edited by F. Decarolis and M. Frey (PDF).
39. “Favouritism and Inefficiency in Procurement: Evidence from Public Works in Italy,” (with C. Giorgiantonio), Rivista di Politica Economica, April/June, 2013, pp. 161 - 190 (PDF)
40. “Economic Effects of Democracy. An Empirical Analysis”. Rivista di Politica Economica, Dec, 2003, pp. 69 - 116, (PDF). Winning paper:
- Young Economist Award, European Economic Association;
- Angelo Costa Award, Rivista di Politica Economica (Best Italian BA thesis in Economics).
41. “Tutela della concorrenza e rispetto delle specificità territoriali negli appalti di lavori pubblici,” (with C. Giorgiantonio) Mercato, Concorrenza e Regole, XVI, n. 1 April 2014 (PDF).
42. "Qualificazione, Aggiudicazione e Subappalti nei Lavori Pubblici: Cosa Insegnano le Riforme Locali?" (with C. Giorgiantonio) Economia Pubblica, 2014, n.1, pp. 28-64 (PDF).
43. "Pricing and Incentives in Publicly Subsidized Health Care Markets: the Case of Medicare Part D," PIER Working Paper12-026, Penn Institute for Economic Research, Dpt. Economics, University of Pennsylvania, June 2012 (PDF).
44. "Appalti Pubblici e Federalismo: Riparto di Competenze e Vincoli Comunitari nell'Affidamento dei Lavori Pubblici in Italia," (with C. Giorgiantonio) Rapporto sulla Finanza Pubblica, Fondazione Rosselli, edited by Francesca Traclò and Marco Nicolai, Maggioli Editore, Romagna, May 2012 (PDF).
45. "Too Good to Be True Auctions," (with Michael Klein) World Bank – Public Private Infrastructure Advisory Facility (PPIAF) Note, (2012). Part of Body of Knowledge on Infrastructure Regulation (BoKIR). Previoulsy circulated as Working Paper 186, Frankfurt am Main: Frankfurt School of Finance & Management (PDF).
46. “La Realizzazione delle Opere Pubbliche,” (with C. Giorgiantonio and G. Palumbo) in L’efficienza della Spesa per Infrastrutture volume edited by Fabrizio Balassone, Bank of Italy, June 2012 (PDF).
47. "Cronaca di un fallimento annunciato: l’impiego dell’esclusione automatica negli appalti di lavori pubblici" Giornale di Diritto Amministrativo, Nov, 2011, pp 1246-125 (PDF).
48. "L’affidamento dei lavori pubblici in Italia: un’analisi dei meccanismi di selezione del contraente privato," Mercato Concorrenza e Regole XIII, 2, August 2011 (with Cristina Giorgiantonio and Valentina Giovanniello). Republished in Le Infrastrutture in Italia, Bank of Italy, edited by Fabrizio Balassone and Piero Casadio, 2011 (PDF).
49. "The Renegotiation of Public Contracts," in Le Infrastrutture in Italia, Bank of Italy, edited by Fabrizio Balassone and Piero Casadio, 2011 (with Giuliana Palumbo), (it: PDF, eng: PDF).
50. "The Awarding of Public Works in Italy: An Analysis of the Mechanisms for the Selection of the Private Contractors," (with C. Giorgiantonio and V. Giovanniello), Bank of Italy, Quaderni di Economia e Finanza, 83-2010 (PDF).
51. “When the Highest Bidder Loses the Auction,” Bank of Italy, Temi di Discussione, June 2009, No. 717 (PDF).