Technology Adoption in the Presence of Network Externalities: A Web-Based Classroom Game

INFORMS Transactions on Education

James R. Wolf¹  Thomas E. Portegys¹ 

[1] School of Information Technology, Illinois State University

关键词: adoption of new technologies;    network externalities;    sequential choice;    imperfect information;    heterogeneity;    “lock-in”;    switching costs;    game;   

DOI  :  10.1287/ited.8.1.49

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: INFORMS

【 摘 要 】

This paper describes a customizable classroom game used to demonstrate the effects of network externalities on the adoption of new technologies. The game is a web-based adaptation of Ruebeck et al.'s [Ruebeck, C. S., N. Stafford, W. Tynan, G. Alpert, Ball, B. Butkevich. 2003. Network externalities and standardization: A classroom demonstration. Southern Econom. J. 69 1000–1008] network externalities game. The web-based game is freely available and can be played in a networked lab setting or via the Internet. In this game, players choose one of a number of competing technologies whose utility depends on the number of others choosing the same technology. In subsequent variations, we introduce sequential choice, imperfect information, heterogeneity, “lock-in,” and switching costs.

【 授权许可】

CC BY