1. Technology, demand and market structure in network industries
• Economies of scale and scope; Sunk costs
• Complementary goods or services; Network effects
• Market concentration

Readings:
- Shapiro-Varian, Chapter 1
- Slides

2. Market power and pricing strategies
• Personalized pricing and group pricing
• Menu pricing
• Intertemporal pricing
• Bundling
• Switching costs and lock-in

Readings:
- Shapiro-Varian, Chapters 2, 3, 5, 6
- Church J., R. Ware (2000), Industrial organization: A strategic approach, McGraw-Hill (available at http://works.bepress.com/jeffrey_church/23): Chapter 2, sections 2.3 (2.3.1), 2.4 (2.4.1, 2.4.2), 2.5; Chapter 4, sections 4.1 (4.1.1, 4.1.2), 4.3 (4.3.1), 4.5; Chapter 5 (except for section 5.4.5); Chapter 25 (section 25.4)
- Klemperer P. (1995), Competition when consumers have switching costs: An overview, Review of Economic Studies 62, pp. 515-539: Sections 1, 2, 3, 7, 8
- Kobayashi B. (2005), Does economics provide a reliable guide to regulating commodity bundling by firms? A survey of the economic literature, Journal of Competition Law and Economics 1, pp. 707-746: Sections 1, 2 (A, C, D), 3 (B), 4 (B)

3. Network externalities, standardization, and compatibility
• Demand side: users’ coordination and technology adoption
• Supply side: Compatibility strategies vs. standards wars
• Public policy in network industries

Readings:
- Shapiro-Varian, Chapters 7, 8, 9, 10
- Shy O. (2011), A short survey of network economics, Review of Industrial Organization 38, pp. 119-149: Sections 1, 2, 3 (3.1, 3.2, 3.4), 4, 6, 8

4. Two-sided markets
• Key features and examples
• Pricing issues and implications for public policy

Readings:
- Armstrong M. (2006), Competition in two-sided markets, Rand Journal of Economics 37, pp. 668-691: Sections 1, 2, 3
- Evans D.S., R. Schmalensee (2007), The industrial organization of markets with two-sided platforms, Competition Policy International 3, pp. 151-179: Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 7

5. Telecommunications (brief overview)
• Natural monopoly and regulation
• Access pricing and competition

Readings:
- Church J., R. Ware (2000), Industrial organization: A strategic approach, McGraw-Hill (available at http://works.bepress.com/jeffrey_church/23): Chapters 24, 25, 26 - overview

• Further readings: Collection of relevant articles from the press (file ‘Stories’ on the web site)

The main reference textbook is:

· Shapiro C., H. Varian (1999), Information Rules: A Strategic Guide to the Network Economy, Harvard Business Press.