The Economics of Online Markets and ICT Networks

Building new business on the most recent version of the Web is no longer a multi-million dollar undertaking. Start-up companies are leveraging a decade of innovation of technology, driven by entrepreneurs not financiers. Past lessons led to new service that provides a sustainable revenue base from which to refine service offerings and the definition of a viable business model. Within this context, the volume examines the economics of platform structure and firm competition within and between online markets, modern theoretical treatments of regulatory intervention in online markets and the consideration of forward-looking experimental analysis of demand for yet to be provided services. The volume is divided into three parts: innovation and competition in online markets; regulation, pricing and evaluation with real options; and empirical approaches to market analysis.