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Indirect Network Effects and Adoption Externalities

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Author Info
Jeffrey Church () (Department of Economics, University of Calgary)
Neil Gandal (Department of Public Policy, Tel Aviv University and CEPR n)
David Krause (Economic Analysis, Bell Canada)

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Abstract

Can indirect network effects lead to adoption externalities? If so, when? We show that in markets where consumption benefits arise from hardware/software systems, adoption externalities will occur when there are (i) increasing returns to scale in the production of software, (ii) free entry in software, and (iii) consumers have a preference for software variety. The private benefit of the marginal hardware purchaser is less than the social benefit since the marginal hardware purchaser does not internalize the welfare improving response of the software industry, particularly the increase in software variety, on inframarginal purchasers when the market for hardware expands.

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Publisher Info
Article provided by Concept Economics in its journal Review of Network Economics.

Volume (Year): 7 (2008)
Issue (Month): 3 (September)
Pages: 337-358
Download reference. The following formats are available: HTML (with abstract), plain text (with abstract), BibTeX, RIS (EndNote, RefMan, ProCite), ReDIF
Handle: RePEc:rne:rneart:v:7:y:2008:i:3:p:337-358

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Related research
Keywords: network externalities; network effects; software; platforms;

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References listed on IDEAS
Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
  1. Joseph Farrell & Garth Saloner, 1985. "Standardization, Compatibility, and Innovation," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 16(1), pages 70-83, Spring. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  2. Church, Jeffrey & Gandal, Neil, 1992. "Network Effects, Software Provision, and Standardization," Journal of Industrial Economics, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 40(1), pages 85-103, March. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  3. Jeffrey Church & Neil Gandal, 2000. "Systems Competition, Vertical Merger, and Foreclosure," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 9(1), pages 25-51, 03. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  4. Farrell, Joseph & Saloner, Garth, 1986. "Standardization and variety," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 20(1), pages 71-74. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  5. Spence, Michael, 1976. "Product Selection, Fixed Costs, and Monopolistic Competition," Review of Economic Studies, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 43(2), pages 217-35, June. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  6. Church, J. & Gandal, N., 1992. "Integration, Complementary Products and Variety," Papers 3-92, Tel Aviv.
    Other versions:
  7. Liebowitz, S J & Margolis, Stephen E, 1994. "Network Externality: An Uncommon Tragedy," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 8(2), pages 133-50, Spring. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  8. Joseph Farrell & Garth Saloner, 1985. "Installed Base and Compatibility With Implications for Product Preannouncements," Working papers 385, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Department of Economics.
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  9. Katz, Michael L & Shapiro, Carl, 1994. "Systems Competition and Network Effects," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 8(2), pages 93-115, Spring. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  10. Church, Jeffrey & Gandal, Neil, 1993. "Complementary network externalities and technological adoption," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 11(2), pages 239-260, June. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  11. Katz, Michael L & Shapiro, Carl, 1985. "Network Externalities, Competition, and Compatibility," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 75(3), pages 424-40, June. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  12. Katz, Michael L & Shapiro, Carl, 1986. "Technology Adoption in the Presence of Network Externalities," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 94(4), pages 822-41, August. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  13. Dixit, Avinash K & Stiglitz, Joseph E, 1977. "Monopolistic Competition and Optimum Product Diversity," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 67(3), pages 297-308, June. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  14. Carmen Matutes & Pierre Regibeau, 1988. ""Mix and Match": Product Compatibility without Network Externalities," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 19(2), pages 221-234, Summer. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  15. Economides, Nicholas, 1996. "The economics of networks," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 14(6), pages 673-699, October. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  16. Chou, Chien-fu & Shy, Oz, 1990. "Network effects without network externalities," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 8(2), pages 259-270, June. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
Full references

Cited by:
(explanations, Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.)

  1. Meijers, Huub, 2007. "ICT Externalities: Evidence from cross country data," UNU-MERIT Working Paper Series 021, United Nations University, Maastricht Economic and social Research and training centre on Innovation and Technology. [Downloadable!]
  2. Dachrahn Wu & Ming Chang & Mei-Hua Chang, 2008. "Market coverage and “love of software variety” in the supporting services approach," Netnomics, Springer, vol. 9(2), pages 77-86, October. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  3. Kevin J. Boudreau & Andrei Hagiu, 2008. "Platform Rules: Multi-Sided Platforms as Regulators," Harvard Business School Working Papers 09-061, Harvard Business School. [Downloadable!]
  4. Andrei Hagiu, 2004. "Two-Sided Platforms: Pricing and Social Efficiency," Discussion papers 04035, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI). [Downloadable!]
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