Positive Externalities and Complementarities in Networked Services

当消费者由于其他消费者的存在而感受到影响时，外部性就会发生。 在很大程度上，网络服务（如无线服务提供、内容交付等）的性能工程 是由减轻负外部性（如拥堵）的目标驱动的。 然而，最终，许多此类服务的价值是由正外部性驱动的：消费者通过能够与服务的其他用户建立联系而获得的价值。 在本研究中，将开发和分析帮助服务提供商评估正外部性影响的模型。 首先考虑从单个服务提供商的角度出发的模型。 然后，在竞争环境中，正外部性对企业的影响，注意到正外部性创造了多个服务提供商之间强大的战略互补性将被考虑。本项目打算开发的模型和见解将在消费者之间存在正外部性的网络服务行业产生影响，包括传统的网络工程，在线游戏，客户关系管理解决方案，这些模型不仅为消费者提供服务定价方面的指导，而且还指导如何与其他服务提供者达成合同协议，以利用互补性。为了加强这种影响，将利用斯坦福大学的Media X项目实现的产业协同效应。 此外，这里开发的结果将被纳入研究生课程的收入管理和处理网络，以及网络经济学。

Externalities occur whenever consumers feel an effect due to the presence of other consumers. To a large extent, the performance engineering of network services (such as wireless service provision, content delivery, etc.) is driven by the goal of mitigating negative externalities, such as congestion. However, ultimately, the value of many such services is driven by a positive externality: the value that consumers derive by being able to connect with other users of the service. In this research, models that help service providers evaluate the impact of positive externalities will be developed and analyzed. Models from the single service provider viewpoint will be considered first. Then the impact of positive externalities on firms in a competitive environment, noting that positive externalities create strong strategic complementarities between multiple service providers will be considered.The models and insights this project intends to develop will have impact in networked service industries where positive externalities exist among consumers, including traditional network engineering, online gaming, Customer Relationship Management solutions, application service provision, etc. These models will not only provide guidance in pricing service for the consumer, but also guidance in how to form contractual agreements with other service providers to exploit complementarities. To enhance this impact, industrial synergies enabled through the Media X program at Stanford will be exploited. Also, the results developed here will be incorporated into graduate courses on revenue management and processing networks, as well as network economics.