Obiettivi
The aim of the course is to help students to be familiar with contemporary topics in advanced
industrial organization both theoretical and applied. The course is focused on special topics as
Network economics, Media industries and Advertising.
Prerequisiti
Industrial Economics (introductory level) as in: Cabral, Introduction to IO, MIT Press, 2001, Ch. 4: Games and Strategies; Ch. 5 Monopoly; Ch. 6 (Almost) Perfect Competition; Ch. 7 Oligopoly: Bertrand and Cournot; Ch. 8 Collusion; Ch 9 Market Power.
Contenuti
Part I. Refreshing and advances on IO theoretical topics. Market power and sources of market power
1 Oligopoly models: Cournot, Bertrand, Hotelling, Stackelberg
2 Product differentiation: Empirical analysis
3 Asymmetric information, price and advertising signals
4 Consumer inertia
Part II. Networks, Standards and Systems, Market Intermediation
5 Markets with network goods
6 Strategies for network goods
7 Markets with intermediated goods
8 Information and reputation in intermediated product markets
Part III. Selected topics in ICT industry. Media Industries
9 The Economics of Network Neutrality and the access question
10 The Economics of Spectrum allocation
11 Two-sided markets: Media, payment card, operating systems
12 Internet markets: Scale and customization, online and offline advertising and commerce, cloud computing
13 Features of the (traditional) media markets: Audience and advertising
14 Variety in media industry: Program diversity and information plurality
15 Content production. Risk sharing and vertical relations: News and book publishing, music recording, films and TV program series producing
16 Some copyright economics
17. Cloud computing
Metodi Didattici
Assessment: Exam (80%) + Assignment (20%). A series of assignments and activities are designed to prepare students’ presentation on selected theoretical topics and case studies.
Verifica dell’apprendimento
Partial examination: Written Exam
Final examination: Written Exam
Testi
Main Reference:
Belleflamme-Peitz, Industrial Organization. Markets and Strategies, Cambridge University Press, 2010, Ch. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 20, 21, 22, 23.
For a complete list of references see the lecturer’s web page:
http://www.econ-pol.unisi.it/luini/magistraleeng.htm
Altre Informazioni
Classes: Tuesday: 4:00-6:00 pm (Room n 1); Thursday 2:00-4:00 pm (Room n 1); Friday 10;00-12:00 am (Room n 12).
Opening class: 29 September 2015
Elective topics for assignments:
(additional bibliography available at the lecturer’s web page)
Spectrum Allocation: Advanced topics
Pricing in search engine advertising
Attention economy
Collaborative action models
E-commerce: online and offline competition and complementarity
Magazines
Books
Free download and piracy: Music market, Movie market
Public service broadcasting in the digital world
Free vs. fee debate
The long tail and the distinction between amateur and professional
Digital media start-ups
Social networks
Wikipedia
Open Source
Cloud computing: Platform competition, Security