Netzwerkeffekte: eine neue Begründung für die strategische Handelspolitik?

Network-effects may lead to imperfect competition and may therefore make a Strategie trade policy attractive for a country exporting network goods. I analyze the implications of Strategie trade policy in a model of horizontal produetdifferentiation with network effects. Within this framework, Strategie trade policy can improve the welfare in the producing countries. However, a thorough analysis of the pros and cons of Strategie trade policy shows that free trade remains the (second-best) Optimum.