A network good is a product or service which becomes inherently more valuable as its adoption increases. The mechanism driving this value varies by context: for example, a software ecosystem produces more software as the “installed base” of its consumers and developers grows; the quality of content improves as a information aggregator collects information from more users; and the liquidity of an exchange-traded product increases as more investors trade the product. I begin my thesis with a puzzle: why are new network goods more likely to succeed in some markets than others? I show, both via a formal model and empirical analyses, that the likelihood of a network good's success depends on structural features of the innovation and its market. Tailoring entry and growth strategies to fit these features present new opportunities for established firms and entrepreneurs.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:harvard.edu/oai:dash.harvard.edu:1/25752960 |
| Date | 08 March 2016 |
| Creators | Tang, Tina Y. |
| Contributors | Luca, Michael |
| Publisher | Harvard University |
| Source Sets | Harvard University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis or Dissertation, text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | open |
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