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Compatibility and the Product Life Cycle in Two-Sided Markets

Author

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  • Maruyama Masayoshi

    (Kobe University, Graduate School of Business Administration, 2-1 Rokkodai, Nada-ku, Kobe 657-8501, Japan)

  • Zennyo Yusuke

    (Kobe University, Graduate School of Business Administration, 2-1 Rokkodai, Nada-ku, Kobe 657-8501, Japan)

Abstract

We consider a case in which two competing suppliers of hardware devices and content each chooses whether to make its content compatible with the other’s device. Our main result is that the outcome of these choices depends upon whether the firms’ major source of profit lies in the sale of hardware devices or in royalties from the sale of content. If the hardware is the main source of profit then incompatibility is a dominant strategy. If royalties are the main source of profit then compatibility is the dominant strategy. Which of these situations attains is likely to change over the product life cycle. We add to the literature by showing the equilibrium structure of compatibility in a two-sided market.

Suggested Citation

  • Maruyama Masayoshi & Zennyo Yusuke, 2013. "Compatibility and the Product Life Cycle in Two-Sided Markets," Review of Network Economics, De Gruyter, vol. 12(2), pages 131-155, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:bpj:rneart:v:12:y:2013:i:2:p:131-155:n:4
    DOI: 10.1515/rne-2013-0011
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Guillem Roig, 2020. "Product Compatibility Hinders Pre‐Emptive Advertising," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 58(4), pages 1663-1688, October.
    2. Ron Adner & Jianqing Chen & Feng Zhu, 2020. "Frenemies in Platform Markets: Heterogeneous Profit Foci as Drivers of Compatibility Decisions," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 66(6), pages 2432-2451, June.
    3. Maruyama, Masayoshi & Zennyo, Yusuke, 2015. "Application compatibility and affiliation in two-sided markets," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 39-42.
    4. Yanjie Liang & Weihua Liu & Kevin W. Li & Chuanwen Dong & Ming K. Lim, 2023. "A co‐opetitive game analysis of platform compatibility strategies under add‐on services," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 32(11), pages 3541-3558, November.
    5. Wang, Wei & Lyu, Gaoyan, 2020. "Sequential product positioning on a platform in the presence of network effects," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 229(C).
    6. Zennyo, Yusuke, 2020. "Freemium competition among ad-sponsored platforms," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(C).
    7. Liu, He & Amit, Raphael & Qiao, Han & Wang, Shouyang, 2024. "Digital platform compatibility strategies in platform co-opetition," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).
    8. Georgios Petropoulos & Bertin Martens & Geoffrey Parker & Marshall Van Alstyne, 2023. "Platform Competition and Information Sharing," CESifo Working Paper Series 10663, CESifo.
    9. Garcia Pires Armando J., 2020. "Content Provision in the Media Market with Single-Homing and Multi-Homing Consumers," Review of Network Economics, De Gruyter, vol. 19(1), pages 43-83, March.
    10. Ding, Rong & Ko, Chiu Yu & Shen, Bo, 2022. "Partial compatibility in two-sided markets: Equilibrium and welfare analysis," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 116(C).
    11. Maruyama, Masayoshi & Zennyo, Yusuke, 2017. "Process innovation, application compatibility, and welfare," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 1-12.
    12. Dohoon Kim, 2018. "Equilibrium Analysis for Platform Developers in Two-Sided Market with Backward Compatibility," Games, MDPI, vol. 9(4), pages 1-24, October.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    compatibility; platform; product life cycle; two-sided markets; JEL Classification: D43; L13; L14; L15; L22;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D43 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - Oligopoly and Other Forms of Market Imperfection
    • L13 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Oligopoly and Other Imperfect Markets
    • L14 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Transactional Relationships; Contracts and Reputation
    • L15 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Information and Product Quality
    • L22 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Organization and Market Structure

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