Network effect economic theory

Author: Zhu Tong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-10-01
Features: This book is an economics monograph that studies the industrial organization issues of the ICT industry. Traditional economic research on the ICT industry focuses on the economic characteristics of industrial production and its market consequences. Unlike this, the book starts from the demand characteristics of the ICT industry, specifically its network effect characteristics, to examine its impact on the market structure, corporate behavior, and public policy of the industry. The author attempts to provide a theoretical analytical framework for understanding the ICT industry in the network era. Based on an in-depth analysis and redefined concept of network effects, the author systematically explores the market equilibrium characteristics, technological innovation features, competitive behavior patterns, industrial impacts of standards and compatibility, as well as the resulting public policy challenges in the ICT industry. This book not only conducts an in-depth and systematic study of the fundamental issues of the economics of network effects but also offers unique insights into some emerging economic phenomena in the ICT industry in recent years, such as "winner-take-all" and "technological lock-in." The book contributes to advancing and providing reference value for the study of "network economics" and the "ICT industry."