There is a gap in cross-country research documenting anti-competitive practices in the construction industry on urban housing for the poor in South Asia. 

Malathy Knight and a research team at Advocata Institute will explore the impact of these practices with a study focused on the urban housing market in Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, and Pakistan. The study will investigate:

• The specific types of anti-competitive industry practices in the construction industry.
• The extent to which these practices impact affordable housing for the poor.
• How market-based solutions and competition policy legislation can be used to address these problems.

The project will provide valuable insights on the structure of markets in the construction industry, the conduct of market players, and impacts on consumer welfare in this region, as well as an enhanced understanding of the links between well-functioning markets and human flourishing. A comparative aspect of the study will provide practical solutions on what works and what does not in terms of competition policy and law in developing economies with rudimentary institutional structures.