Què passa amb la nova economia? Organització en xarxa i anàlisi econòmica d'Internet

Abstract

Company bankruptcies, lay-offs and the fall in IT share prices contrast starkly with the euphoria surrounding the New Ecorwmy just a short time ago. The business model based on generating income through advertising and offering free content has proved non-viable. This differs from the situation regarding the personal and social applications of Internet, or indeed of B2B trade. The road map for finding added value stresses the importance of a system in which the value chain is split up between various companies, all producing complementary products. Although competition continues to determine the strategic behaviour of companies, co-operation has assumed much greater importance. A completely new structure of costs applies to goods and services which can be delivered in digital form. High sunk costs and virtually zero marginal costs shape business policies and strategies. Supply-side economies of scale and the external effects of the network on demand are restructuring industry. Internet has an impact on price policies (introductory prices, price discrimination, etc.), policies aimed at achieving customer loyalty, customer behaviour, and distribution channels. Technological changes are affecting competition and the nature of strategic barriers (price wars, limit pricing, product proliferation, pre-advertising, contract management, technological standards and compatibility, etc.). E-markets need to be analysed from the viewpoint of fair competition, covering considerations such as data transmission, B2B e-commerce platforms, business integration between ISP and content providers, and the browser wars.