Network Industries: Economic Aspects of Compatibility, Technology Licensing and R

by Sumit Sarkar

Network industries are characterised by existence of positive consumption externalities, referred to as network externalities. This book deals with the economic aspects of some technological issues in industries that exhibit network externalities. The work particularly focuses on markets for systems. A collection of two or more components that work only when used together forms a system. Systems exhibit network externality, which arises due to the complementarities between the components. Firms doing business in the markets for systems behave strategically while deciding on compatibility between competing products and / or technologies. Adoption of technology or investment in R&D may also be a strategic decision. While addressing three different issues, the author analyses the implications of such strategic behaviour. The analysis is game theoretic. Researchers and scholars of Network Economics, Microeconomics, Business Economics, Industrial Organization Theory and Strategy will find the work useful.

116 pages, Paperback

Published July 17, 2009

About the author

Sumit Sarkar (born 1939) is an Indian historian of modern India. He is the author of Swadeshi Movement.

He studied at Presidency College, Calcutta and at the University of Calcutta. He taught for many years as a lecturer at the University of Calcutta, and later as a reader at the University of Burdwan. He was Professor of History at the University of Delhi.

He was born into a family of illustrious historians. His father Sushovan Sarkar was also a pioneering historian and his elder sister Sipra Sarkar, was also a reputed historian and educationalist. His mother was the cousin of legendary statistician P C Mahalanobis. His wife Tanika Sarkar is also a historian and daughter of renowned educationalists Sukumari and Amal Bhattacharya.

He was awarded the Rabindra Puraskar literary award by the West Bengal government in 2004. He returned the award in 2007 in protest against the expulsion of farmers from their land.

(from Wikipedia)