Information Rules: A Strategic Guide to the Network EconomyInformation Goods -- from movies and music to software code and stock quotes - have supplanted industrial goods as the key drivers of world markets. Confronted by this New Economy, many instinctively react by searching for a corresponding New Economics to guide their business decisions. Executives charged with rolling out cutting-edge software products or on-line versions of their magazines are tempted to abandon the classic lessons of economics, and rely instead on an ever changing roster of trends, buzzwords, and analogies that promise to guide strategy in the information age. Not so fast, say authors Carl Shapiro and Hal R. Varian. In "Information Rules" they warn managers, "Ignore basic economic principles at your own risk. Technology changes. Economic laws do not." Understanding these laws and their relevance to information goods is critical when fashioning today's successful competitive strategies. Information Rules introduces and explains the economic concepts needed to navigate the evolving network economy. "Information Rules" will help business leaders and policy makers - from executives in the entertainment, publishing, hardware, and software industries to lawyers, finance professionals, and writers -- make intelligent decisions about their information assets. |
Contents
The Information Economy | 1 |
Pricing Information | 19 |
Versioning Information | 53 |
Rights Management | 83 |
Recognizing LockIn | 103 |
Managing LockIn | 135 |
Networks and Positive Feedback | 173 |
Cooperation and Compatibility | 227 |
Other editions - View all
Information Rules: A Strategic Guide to the Network Economy Carl Shapiro,Hal R. Varian Limited preview - 1998 |
Information Rules: A Strategic Guide to the Network Economy Carl Shapiro,Hal R. Varian No preview available - 1999 |
Information Rules: A Strategic Guide to the Network Economy Carl Shapiro,Hal R. Varian No preview available - 1999 |
Common terms and phrases
advantage alliance allies antitrust assets AT&T attractive Bell Atlantic brand broadcasters browser bundling buyers Chapter color companies competition competitors complementary products components consumers copies critical database develop differential discounts distribution durable economies of scale equipment example firms hardware HDTV high-end incompatible industry information economy information technology installed base Intel intellectual property interconnection interface invest ISPs Java license lock-in cycle locked locked-in customers loyalty machines manufacturers market share Microsoft Minitel modems monopoly negotiations Netscape network effects network externalities Nintendo offer on-line open standards operating system patents penetration pricing percent players positive feedback profit programs proprietary providers purchase QWERTY revenue rival sell sellers Sony standard-setting standards battle strategy suppliers switching costs tactic telephone television tion U.S. Robotics Unix upgrade users valuable vendor Wall Street Journal willingness to pay