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Revealing Incentives for Compatibility Provision in Vertically Differentiated Network Industries

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  • Filomena Garcia
  • Cecilia Vergari

Abstract

We determine the incentives for compatibility provision of firms that produce network goods with different intrinsic qualities when firms do not have veto power over compatibility. When network effects are strong, there are multiple equilibria in pricing and consumer decisions. We show that in some equilibria, it is the high‐quality firm that invests in compatibility, whereas in others, the low‐quality firm triggers compatibility. The socially optimal compatibility degree is zero, except under very strong network effects, where one of the equilibria has all consumers buying the low‐quality good. In this case, a partial degree of compatibility is optimal.

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  • Filomena Garcia & Cecilia Vergari, 2016. "Revealing Incentives for Compatibility Provision in Vertically Differentiated Network Industries," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(3), pages 720-749, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jemstr:v:25:y:2016:i:3:p:720-749
    DOI: 10.1111/jems.12146
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    1. John S. Heywood & Zerong Wang & Guangliang Ye, 2022. "R&D rivalry with endogenous compatibility," Manchester School, University of Manchester, vol. 90(3), pages 354-384, June.
    2. Karbowski, Adam & Kryśkiewicz, Łukasz & Prokop, Jacek, 2018. "Kartele jako przedmiot polityki gospodarczej [Cartels in Public Policy Perspective]," MPRA Paper 90364, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 2018.
    3. Rabah Amir & Igor Evstigneev & Adriana Gama, 2021. "Oligopoly with network effects: firm-specific versus single network," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 71(3), pages 1203-1230, April.
    4. Adriana Gama & Rim Lahmandi-Ayed & Ana Elisa Pereira, 2020. "Entry and mergers in oligopoly with firm-specific network effects," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 70(4), pages 1139-1164, November.
    5. Filomena Garcia & Cecilia Vergari, 2016. "Revealing Incentives for Compatibility Provision in Vertically Differentiated Network Industries," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(3), pages 720-749, September.
    6. Chung-Hui Chou, 2020. "Do Consumers Gain or Lose when Network Externalities Become Stronger?," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 40(3), pages 2193-2200.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • L13 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Oligopoly and Other Imperfect Markets
    • L15 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Information and Product Quality

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