This note draws upon the theories of externalities and public goods to analyze the determinants of compatibility in an industry. It shows how choices by individual firms affect compatibility among products. Incompatibility, the coexistence of different technical standards for a basic product, limits the availability of complementary products and repair services. The resulting negative impact of incompatibility on consumers (and market demand) is partially mitigated by several factors, including the availability of low-cost translator devices and the value placed on unique product characteristics lost under standardization. Short case studies illustrate how compatibility can be affected by private and collective decision-making. Copyright 1989 by WWZ and Helbing & Lichtenhahn Verlag AG
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Article provided by Blackwell Publishing in its journal Kyklos.