Description of the course
The course aims at providing a thorough and rigorous analysis of the impacts that the Internet has on the structure of existing markets, on the creation of new markets, and on the strategies that economic agents (firms, consumers and regulators) deploy on these various markets. The tools of the theory of industrial organization are used to understand a wide array of online market phenomena, including multi-sided platforms, impacts of ‘big data’ (targeted advertising and pricing, recommendation systems, privacy), net neutrality and online business models. The course makes use of case studies to make parallels between theory and reality.
Aims and objectives
At the end of the course, students should be able to (i) master an array of specific concepts from the theory of industrial organization, so as (ii) to understand how the Internet affects the working of markets, (iii) as well as the strategies implemented by firms, consumers and regulators on these markets, and (iv) to apply these theoretical concepts to the analysis of real-life situations.
- Teacher: Belleflamme Paul