Industrial Economics and Costing


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Industrial Economics and Costing

Contents

Abstract ........................................................................................ 9

Introduction ..................................................................................... 11

I. New basic conditions............................................................ 11

1. Revolution, evolution or hype? .......................................... 11

2. The knowledge society ........................................................ 13

2.1 The positive loop effect of knowledge creation........... 13

2.2 The impact of modern ICT........................................... 15

2.2.1 Computer......................................................... 15

2.2.2 Interconnectivity ............................................. 15

2.3 Production process and evaluation of knowledge........ 17

2.4 The knowledgeable worker.......................................... 18

3. Inter-net-working................................................................. 19

3.1 Cyberspace................................................................... 19

3.2 The net of nets.............................................................. 20

3.3 Think network.............................................................. 20

3.4 Information overload.................................................... 21

4. The dynamic of science ....................................................... 22

5. Measuring the digital economy ........................................... 23

5.1 Virtual guesswork ........................................................ 23

5.2 Customer convenience ................................................. 23

5.3 Network effects............................................................ 24

5.4 The four layers of internet economics ......................... 24

5.5 Definitions.................................................................... 26

From industrial economics to digital economics

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II. Structure-conduct-performance................................................................................ 29

1. Performance................................................................................................................ 30

1.1 Digital vs. Non-digital goods ........................................................................... 31

1.1.1 Non-digital goods................................................................................... 31

1.1.2 Digital goods.......................................................................................... 33

1.1.3 Additional value..................................................................................... 33

1.1.4 Tradable- and non-tradable goods ......................................................... 34

1.1.5 Services.................................................................................................. 34

1.1.6 Degree of digitality ................................................................................ 35

1.2 Production and allocative efficiency................................................................ 36

1.3 Progress............................................................................................................ 37

1.4 The ‘good performance’................................................................................... 38

2. Digital market structure.............................................................................................. 39

2.1 Big is beautiful? .............................................................................................. 39

2.1.1 Economies of scale and economies of scope ......................................... 39

2.1.2 Network effects...................................................................................... 40

2.1.3 Integrational movements........................................................................ 41

2.2 Redefinition of industries and competing groups ............................................ 42

2.2.1 IT-classification ..................................................................................... 42

2.2.2 Product differentiation........................................................................... 43

2.3 Transparency.................................................................................................... 44

2.3.1 Search engines ....................................................................................... 44

2.3.2 Transparency creating patterns .............................................................. 46

2.4 Barriers of entry ............................................................................................... 46

2.4.1 Entering virtual markets......................................................................... 46

2.4.2 Making business in virtual markets ....................................................... 47

3. Conduct ...................................................................................................................... 49

3.1 Money and payment......................................................................................... 49

3.1.1 Credit cards and checks ......................................................................... 50

3.1.2 Electronic cash....................................................................................... 50

3.1.3 Micropayments ...................................................................................... 51

3.1.4 Smart cards............................................................................................. 51

3.2 Innovation ........................................................................................................ 51

3.2.1 Common understanding ......................................................................... 52

3.2.2 Pace of innovation ................................................................................. 52

3.3 Pricing behavior ............................................................................................... 55

3.3.1 Transparence.......................................................................................... 56

3.3.2 Price discrimination ............................................................................... 57

3.3.3 Online auctions ...................................................................................... 59

3.3.4 Dynamic pricing..................................................................................... 60

3.4 Behavior of firms ............................................................................................. 62

3.4.1 Inner-firm management.......................................................................... 62

3.4.2 Networking between firms..................................................................... 62

3.4.2.1 Efficiency (Marshallian economies, B2B, Collaboration)..... 62

3.4.2.2 Affiliate programs ................................................................. 64

3.4.2.3 Dis- and re-intermediation...................................................... 66

3.4.2.4 Trust........................................................................................ 69

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3.5 Product strategy and advertising...................................................................... 69

3.5.1 Production.............................................................................................. 70

3.5.2 One-to-one marketing/CRM .................................................................. 71

3.5.3 The unconditional consumer focus of internet economics.................... 73

3.6 Market equilibrium.......................................................................................... 75

3.6.1 Demand forecasting............................................................................... 75

3.6.2 Built-to-order......................................................................................... 75

3.6.3 Retrospective adjustment ...................................................................... 76

3.7 Company finance and the growth of firms ...................................................... 76

3.7.1 E-capital................................................................................................. 77

3.7.2 Survival, development and growth? ..................................................... 79

3.8 Legal tactics..................................................................................................... 81

3.8.1 Model law on electronic data interchange............................................. 81

3.8.2 Security.................................................................................................. 82

3.8.3 Privacy................................................................................................... 83

3.8.4 Intelecual property................................................................................. 83

3.8.5 Standards ............................................................................................... 84

4. Competitive strategy in the digital economy.............................................................. 85

III. Macro .................................................................................................................................... 89

1. Role of organizations ................................................................................................. 90

1.1 Government...................................................................................................... 90

1.1.1 The private sector should lead............................................................... 90

1.1.2 Market failures....................................................................................... 90

1.1.2.1 Maintaining task..................................................................... 91

1.1.2.2 Promoting task (education, extra-efforts) .............................. 92

1.1.3 Supranational moderation...................................................................... 95

1.2 Non-governmental guidance ............................................................................ 96

2. Growth........................................................................................................................ 98

2.1 The productivity paradox................................................................................. 98

2.2 Real cost reduction.......................................................................................... 99

2.3 Direct effects of IT growth ............................................................................ 101

2.4 Indirect effects of IT-growth.......................................................................... 102

3. Digital divide and the catch up ................................................................................ 103

3.1 A natural "sideeffect" of development? ........................................................ 103

3.2 International divide ........................................................................................ 104

3.3 The catch up................................................................................................... 108

3.3.1 The big divider..................................................................................... 108

3.3.2 The big equalizer ................................................................................. 109

3.4 Domestic divide ............................................................................................. 111

3.4.1 Households .......................................................................................... 112

3.4.2 Business............................................................................................... 114

4. Labour markets......................................................................................................... 114

4.1 Employment demand ..................................................................................... 115

4.2 Skill requirements .......................................................................................... 117

4.3 Geographical requirements ............................................................................ 118

4.4 Wage differentials.......................................................................................... 120

IV. Final Remarks........................................................................................................ 123

Bibliography................................................................................................................................. 125

Serie de desarrollo productivo: issues published ............................................................ 131

From industrial economics to digital economics

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Tables

Table 1 Retailers’ Income United States 1998........................................................................ 30

Table 2 What consumers can do at auto dealers’ web sites .................................................... 32

Table 3 Links........................................................................................................................... 65

Table 4 International e-trade International trade of selected e-commerce firms, 1997........... 70

Table 5 Distribution costs online savings E-commerce impact on various distribution costs.. 100

Table 6 Access cost ............................................................................................................... 107

Table 7 Domestic digital divide in the U.S. The growing digital divides

by income and education: 1997-1998. Internet access............................................ 112

Table 8 Digital Divide by Education*................................................................................... 112

Table 9 IT-related occupations.............................................................................................. 115

Figures

Figure 1 The Positive Loop Effect of Knowledge Creation..................................................... 14

Figure 2 Impact of Modern ICT on the Positive Loop Effect of Knowledge Creation............ 16

Figure 3 The Four Layers of Internet Economics..................................................................... 26

Figure 4 Internet Economics as part of the Digital Economy (=the changes modern ICT is

bringing with it).......................................................................................................... 27

Figure 5 Saving online.............................................................................................................. 34

Figure 6 Degree of Digitality Graphs ....................................................................................... 35

Figure 7 Degree of Digitality Portfolio..................................................................................... 36

Figure 8 Reasons Why People Shop Online............................................................................. 37

Figure 9 Economies of Scope ................................................................................................... 40

Figure 10 Online Transparency .................................................................................................. 45

Figure 11 The Creative Destruction of Innovation..................................................................... 53

Figure 12 Pricing Transparence.................................................................................................. 56

Figure 13 How would you pay? ................................................................................................. 58

Figure 14 Customer-to-Customer ............................................................................................... 59

Figure 15 Dynamic Pricing; MYPS............................................................................................ 61

Figure 16 Savings B2B ............................................................................................................... 63

Figure 17 Frictionless ................................................................................................................. 67

Figure 18 Infomediaries.............................................................................................................. 68

Figure 19 Marketing in the Digital Economy............................................................................. 74

Figure 20 Capital commitments to US venture funds................................................................. 77

Figure 21 US investments 2nd quarter 2000 .............................................................................. 77

Figure 22 Charts: amazon.com, yahoo........................................................................................ 80

Figure 23 Five forces affecting competitive strategy ................................................................. 85

Figure 24 Cisco’s e-commerce customer support savings........................................................ 100

Figure 25 Direct effects of IT-growth....................................................................................... 101

Figure 26 IT-producing industries, contribution to real growth in the US............................... 102

Figure 27 Internet population 2000 .......................................................................................... 105

Figure 28 Human development and internet diffusion ............................................................. 105

Figure 29 Worldwide e-commerce ........................................................................................... 106

Figure 30 Internet access 1999 ................................................................................................. 106

Figure 31 Website2 distribution ............................................................................................... 107

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Figure 32 Online spending going to foreign sites..................................................................... 109

Figure 33 Falling through the Net ............................................................................................ 113

Figure 34 IT-share of total equipment...................................................................................... 114

Figure 35 Churning effect......................................................................................................... 116

Figure 36 Skill requirements .................................................................................................... 117

 

Figure 37 Wages in IT-industries ............................................................................................. 120