We analyze duopoly Bertrand competition under network effects. We consider both incompatible and compatible products. Our main result is that network effects create a fundamental conflict between the maximization of social welfare and consumer surplus whenever products are incompatible. While...

We analyze market dynamics under Bertrand duopoly competition in industries with network effects and consumer switching costs. Consumers form installed bases, repeatedly buy the products, and differ with respect to their switching costs. Depending on the ratio of switching costs to network...

We challenge the view that the presence of powerful buyers stifles suppliers ́incentives to innovate. Following Katz (1987), we model buyer power as buyers ́ability to substitute away from a given supplier and isolate several effects that support the opposite view, namely that the presence of...