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Rapid Technical Change and the Speed of Lock-in: Standard Battles in the Local Area Network Industry in the 1990s

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Author Info
Roberto Fontana (Universita' Commerciale "Luigi Bocconi" Milano)

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Abstract

The rise of Fast Ethernet as the dominant standard for high speed connection in the Local Area Network industry is chosen to analyse the relevance of increasing returns and network externalities in determining the speed of standard diffusion. Although it was not the first standard to emerge, Fast Ethernet was able to catch up an out-compete existing alternatives due its ability to target different user needs and penetrate new market niches. In the presence of rapid technological change, even though a technology enjoys a head start over competing alternatives, achieving lock-in may be more difficult than the theory on increasing returns and network externalities generally predicts.

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File URL: ftp://ftp.unibocconi.it/pub/RePEc/cri/papers/WP146Fontana.pdf
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Publisher Info
Paper provided by CESPRI, Centre for Research on Innovation and Internationalisation, Universita' Bocconi, Milano, Italy in its series CESPRI Working Papers with number 146.

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Length: 41 pages
Date of creation: Jul 2003
Date of revision: Jul 2003
Handle: RePEc:cri:cespri:wp146

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Related research
Keywords: Technical change; Lock-in; LAN equipment;

Find related papers by JEL classification:
O31 - Economic Development, Technological Change, and Growth - - Technological Change - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives
L63 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Manufacturing - - - Microelectronics; Computers; Communications Equipment
D62 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Externalities

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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. Cowan, Robin, 1988. "Nuclear Power Reactors: A Study In Technological Lock-In," Working Papers 88-33, C.V. Starr Center for Applied Economics, New York University. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  2. 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.
    Other versions:
  3. Foray, Dominique & Grubler, Arnulf, 1990. "Morphological analysis, diffusion and lockout of technologies: Ferrous casting in France and the FRG," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 19(6), pages 535-550, December. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  4. Postrel, Steven R, 1990. "Competing Networks and Proprietary Standards: The Case of Quadraphonic Sound," Journal of Industrial Economics, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 39(2), pages 169-85, December. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  5. Besen, Stanley M & Farrell, Joseph, 1994. "Choosing How to Compete: Strategies and Tactics in Standardization," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 8(2), pages 117-31, Spring. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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