Your case study will be to investigate the famous case between General Motors and Fisher body.

You will have to prepare a 20 min presentation which will focus on the analysis of the relationship between the two firms with respect to the holdup problem.  

I expect you to:

1. Be able to tell the whole story.

2. Be able to explain the holdup problem in general.

3. Take a position with respect to if there is holdup.

4. Argue on your position.

5. Be able to present arguments for the opposite position.

Your presentation must be based on the papers provided:

Benjamin Klein, Vertical Integration as Organizational Ownership: The Fisher Body-General Motors Relationship Revisited, Journal of Law, Economics & Organization Vol. 4, No. 1 (Spring, 1988), pp. 199-213. [Download]

Coase , R.H., The Acquisition of Fisher Body. Journal of Law and Economics, Vol. 43, No. 1, April 2000. [Download]

Freeland , Robert F., Creating Hold-Up Through Vertical Integration: Fisher Body Revisited. Journal of Law and Economics, Vol. 43, No. 1, April 2000. [Download]

Casadesus-Masanell, Ramon and Spulber, Daniel F., The Fable of Fisher Body. Journal of Law and Economics, Vol. 43, No. 1, April 2000. [Download]

Klein, Benjamin, Fisher – General Motors and the Nature of the Firm. Journal of Law and Economics, Vol. 43, No. 1, April 2000. [Download]

– You are welcome to also use other sources as long as you cite them.

– However you may use only sources that are academically credible.

– Be aware that plagiarism is academically unacceptable.

Groups will be up to 5 persons.

Each group will elect a foreperson who will be responsible to hand me the slides before the presentation and inform me about the group and the presenters.

The presentation and slides must be in English.

Each presentation will be done by two students at the same time on the floor. More than one couple of presenters from the same group may take the floor.