On Hospital Competition:Quality, Efficiency, and OwnershipInaugural-Dissertationzur Erlangung des akademischen Grades eines Doktorsder Wirtschafts- und Sozialwissenschaften(Dr. rer. pol.)der Friedrich-Alexander-Universitat¨ Erlangen-Nurnber¨ gvorgelegt von: Dipl.-Volksw., Dipl.-Kffr. Annika Herraus: BielefeldErstreferent: Prof. Dr. Justus HaucapZweitreferent: Prof. Dr. Thomas BauerDatum der letzten Prufung:¨ 13. Juli 2009PrefaceThe research for this thesis has been conducted at the Ruhr Graduate School in¨Economics, Ruhr–Universitat Bochum, the Center for Labor Economics, Univer-sity of California–Berkeley and the Universitat¨ Erlangen–Nurnber¨ g. The presentthesis has strongly been influenced by and benefited from discussions with profes-sors and fellow students of the RGS Econ, the RWI Essen, the UC Berkeley, andthe Universitat¨ Erlangen-Nurnber¨ g, as well as presentations at various nationaland international conferences, seminars, and workshops. I am very grateful toall who supported my work in that way. Financial support by the RGS Econ andin particular the Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach Stiftung, by the GermanAcademic Exchange Service (DAAD) and by the Lehrstuhl fur¨ Wirtschaftspolitik,Universitat¨ Erlangen-Nurnber¨ g is gratefully acknowledged.In particular, I would like to thank my supervisor Justus Haucap who encour-aged and supported me in various ways. I am also very thankful to Thomas Bauerfor helpful remarks.