Research and analysis on bid rigging mechanisms

This paper examines detected bid rigging mechanisms based on the decisions of the Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) from April 1996 to December 2005. We first develop some indicators that represent important characteristics of the ring mechanism from a theoretical and empirical point of view. We then classify bid rigging cases filed by the JFTC based on these indicators. We also provide simple economic analysis using the JFTC database and find that (1) extremely simple mechanisms were adopted in many bid rigging cases detected in Japan during the period examined and (2) some ring mechanisms facilitate a reduction in information asymmetry among ring members, however such function plays a subordinate role.