Building on the Resource-Based View of the firm, we advance the idea that a firm's customer network can be a strategic asset. We suggest that network effects are a function of network size (i.e., installed customer base) and network strength (i.e., the marginal impact of a unit increase in...

We empirically study the dynamics of R&D productivity by firm size over an industry's life cycle. To do this, we examine the relationship between R&D expenditures, firm size, and new product introductions at the firm level in the personal computer industry. In general, we find the following. (1)...

The possible predatory and anti-competitive implications of announcing new products well in advance of actual market availability has lead to allegations that firms are intentionally engaging in vaporware. This issue recently surfaced in the antitrust case United States v. Microsoft Corporation....

In this paper, we empirically estimate a descriptive model of firm product line decisions in the personal computer industry over the period 1981-1992. Our analysis incorporates the firm's initial choice of the direction of a product line change (i.e., the product line can be expanded,...

Previous theoretical research has identified three primary effects of a product proliferation strategy: (1) a broad product line can increase overall demand, (2) a broad product line can affect supply by increasing costs, and (3) broad product lines can have strategic consequences (e.g., long...

Previous theoretical research has identified three primary effects of a product proliferation strategy: (1) a broad product line can increase overall demand, (2) a broad product line can affect supply by increasing costs, and (3) broad product lines can have strategic consequences (e.g., long...

The software industry practice of announcing new products well in advance of actual market availability has led to allegations that firms are intentionally engaging in vaporware. The possible predatory and anti-competitive implications of this behavior recently surfaced in the antitrust case...

We consider customer influences on market structure, arguing that market structure should explain the extent to which any given set of market offerings are substitutes or complements. We describe recent additions to the market structure analysis literature and identify promising directions for...

Entrepreneurs are turning to crowdfunding as a way to finance their creative ideas. Crowdfunding involves relatively small contributions of many consumer-investors over a fixed time period (generally a few weeks). The purpose of this paper is to add to our empirical understanding of backer...