Research Topics

research topicthématique  |  » see all topics» toutes les thématiques

Distribution in the Digital Economy

The digital development has fundamentally changed the relationship between the producer and the consumer. Moreover, the economic and managerial literature analyse this evolution in distribution (platform, multisided?) and in its regulation.

The issues of the vertical integration and its effects on competition are not only to be found in the Internet but also in business, transportations and telecommunications. The problem comes from companies that have a great part of the market share as Internet Service Provider and as content provider. As Internet Service Provider the company can abuse its dominant market position to restrict the competition between content providers.

Thereby, the net neutrality designs the fact that the Internet must be available to everyone and everything except discrimination of price and quality. The opponents of the net neutrality defend the idea that there is no need to redouble the control of ex post anti-competitive behaviour by ex ante rules. In addition one must not forget that the costumer knows how to respond to discrimination (price and quality) of the network operators: He can avoid it (by multiplying the points of access), give wrong information (distinguish himself as a cheap client) or modify his consumption. Finally, because of the fixed cost of infrastructure the net neutrality could reduce the incentives to innovation.

Therefore net neutrality relates to the issues of vertical relations in the retail trade. The ISP will thereby be the distributor (the ISP are in reality the distributors in opposition to the content providers): He has access to the consumer, and the consumer has to put up with a fixed change cost, and the distributor can choose the sold products or sell them at different prices. If the material distribution might discriminate, why impose the neutrality to the Internet?

Henceforth, various research study distributional issues and deal with four series of questions, addressed during a seminar organized by the Innovation and Regulation Chair on February 2nd, 2009 on : “Producers and distributors : can regulation of retail help for better regulation of the Internet?”

  1. Are the relations between providers and distributors on the internet or on the closed networks (VoD, TV, etc) specific and therefore need to be considered with a specific regulation? For example are the lock-in cost different, etc.
  2. Does the metaphor of retail embrace the meaning of the relation provider-supplier on the Internet? For instance, one could argue that the Peer-to-Peer or the active audiences do not embrace a vertical pattern like the providers-distributors-consumers relations.
  3. How can we more specifically characterize the distribution forms that emerge in the digital development and what problems do they cause: Aggregation functions, integration, interoperability, management, information, relocation, national constraints (TVA, regulations of sectors such as pharmaceutical), responsibility (operator?).
  4. What are the specific problems raised by e-commerce? How can regulation of e-commerce affect competition between traditional distributors?

EventsÉvénements

Publications

  • Online accessibility of academic articles and the diversity of economics
     22 octobre 2012 .
    Timo Boppart, Kevin E. Staub, University of Zurich, Department of Economics, Switzerland
    Presentation at the conference of the  Innovation & Regulation in Digital Services Chair, Oct. 2012, in on « Economics of ICTs».
  • The Effect of the Internet on Product Quality in the Airline Industry
     22 octobre 2012 .
    Itai Ater, Tel Aviv University, Eugene Orlov, Compass Lexecon

    Presentation at the conference of the  Innovation & Regulation in Digital Services Chair, Oct. 2012, in on « Economics of ICTs».
  • The Effect of Internet Distribution on Brick-and-mortar Sales
     22 octobre 2012 .
    Andrea Pozzi, Einaudi Institute for Economics and Finance, Italy.
    Presentation at the conference of the  Innovation & Regulation in Digital Services Chair, Oct. 2012, in on « Economics of ICTs».
  • Multi‐Channel Retail
     27 avril 2012 .
    Gerald Lang, BEM Bordeaux Management School Centre de Recherche en Gestion  de l’Ecole polytechnique (PREG‐CRG)–CNRS, Chaire Innovation & Régulation des Services Numériques.
    Position paper published in the context of the work of the Innovation & Regulation in Digital Servies Chair on Digital distribution
  • Franchise et stratégies « multi-canal »
     5 novembre 2011 .
    Gérard Cliquet, CREM UMR CNRS 6211, Université de Rennes 1, IGR-IAE, France

    Presentation at the conference organized by the Innovation & Regulation in Digital Services Chair, November 3, 2011, on « Distribution in the digital age »
  • Les enjeux du multicanal pour les réseaux de franchise
     5 novembre 2011 .
    Guy Gras, Yves Rocher, Président de la Fédération Française de la Franchise
    Presentation at the conference organized by the Innovation & Regulation in Digital Services Chair, November 3, 2011, on « Distribution in the digital age »
  • Crosscanal et Innovations Services
     5 novembre 2011 .
    Julien Morel, Directeur des opérations, Nespresso France
    Presentation at the conference organized by the Innovation & Regulation in Digital Services Chair, November 3, 2011, on « Distribution in the digital age »
  • Web to store, mobile to store et medias sociaux : les nouveaux parcours clients
     5 novembre 2011 .
    Thomas Stenger, IAE de l’Université de Poitiers, laboratoire CEREGE et Institut des Sciences de la Communication du CNRS (ISCC), France
    Presentation at the conference organized by the Innovation & Regulation in Digital Services Chair, November 3, 2011, on « Distribution in the digital age »
  • Comment le site Internet d’une enseigne modifie le comportement de ses clients en magasin
     5 novembre 2011 .
    Régine Vanheems, Maître de conférences, Université Paris I Sorbonne, France

    Presentation at the conference organized by the Innovation & Regulation in Digital Services Chair, November 3, 2011, on « Distribution in the digital age »
  • International Multi Channeling – Strategies and Trends
     5 novembre 2011 .
    Prof. Dr. Gerit Heinemann, Hochschule Niederhein, Director eWeb Research Center. Germany

    Presentation at the conference organized by the Innovation & Regulation in Digital Services Chair, November 3, 2011, on « Distribution in the digital age »
  • E-commerce Business Models in China
     25 décembre 2009 .
    Wang Shengzhi, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, E-Commerce Research Center, China
    Presentation at the conference organized by the Innovation and Regulation in Digital Services Chair, in Paris, 18 December 2009, on « Innovative business models in the digital economy: Chinese and European Ways ».
  • Online business models in the banking industry: in search of innovation
     25 décembre 2009 .
    Konstantinos Liakeas, Department of Financial and Management Engineering, University of the Aegean, Greece
    Presentation at the conference organized by the Innovation and Regulation in Digital Services Chair, in Paris, 18 December 2009, on « Innovative business models in the digital economy: Chinese and European Ways ».
  • Internet of Things and Mobile Commerce in China
     25 décembre 2009 .
    Ting-Jie Lu, Assistant to President of Beijing University of Post and Telecommunications, Fellow of China Institute of Communications.
    Presentation at the conference organized by the Innovation and Regulation in Digital Services Chair, in Paris, 18 December 2009, on « Innovative business models in the digital economy: Chinese and European Ways ».
  • La régulation des relations fournisseurs-distributeurs dans le commerce de détail en France
     9 février 2009 .
    Maya Bacache, Telecom ParisTech
    Position paper prepared in the framework of the conference organized by the Innovation & Regulation in Digital Services Chair, Paris, February 2 , 2009, on « Producers and distributors: can regulation of retail help for better regulation of the Internet »
  • The Economics of Digital Business Models
     9 février 2009 .
    Eric Brousseau, EconomiX, Paris X University, IUF
    Presentation at the conference organized by the Innovation & Regulation in Digital Services Chair, Paris, February 2 , 2009, on « Producers and distributors: can regulation of retail help for better regulation of the Internet ».
  • Online price dispersion : What can we learn from Amazon Marketplace?
     9 février 2009 .
    Patrick Waelbroeck, Telecom ParisTech

    Presentation at the conference organized by the Innovation & Regulation in Digital Services Chair, Paris, February 2 , 2009, on « Producers and distributors: can regulation of retail help for better regulation of the Internet ».

  • Time Consistency and Seller Commitment in Inter-temporal Movie Distribution: An Empirical Study of the Video Window

     9 février 2009 .

    David Waterman, Sung-Choon Lee, Indiana University, Andrew A. Weiss, Australian National Univ. Presentation at the conference organized by the I&R Chair, Paris, Feb 2 , 2009, on “Producers and distributors: can regulation of retail help for better regulation of the Internet”.
  • Price Discrimination in Input Markets
     9 février 2009 .
    Tommaso Valletti, Imperial College London, University or Rome and CEPR, Roman Inderst, University of Frankfurt, Imperial College London and CEPR

    Presentation at the conference organized by the Innovation & Regulation in Digital Services Chair, Paris, February 2 , 2009, on « Producers and distributors: can regulation of retail help for better regulation of the Internet ».

    .
  • Foreclosing Competition through Access Charges and Price Discrimination
     9 février 2009 .
    Ángel L. López, IESE (SP-SP), Patrick Rey, Toulouse School of Economics

    Presentation at the conference organized by the Innovation & Regulation in Digital Services Chair, Paris, February 2 , 2009, on « Producers and distributors: can regulation of retail help for better regulation of the Internet ».

    .
  • Retail Planning and Retail Food Sector: Empirical Analysis and Assessment of the Raffarin Law
     9 février 2009 .
    Jean-Louis Monino, University Montpellier I, Stephane Turolla, University Rennes I

    Presentation at the conference organized by the Innovation & Regulation in Digital Services Chair, Paris, February 2 , 2009, on « Producers and distributors: can regulation of retail help for better regulation of the Internet ».

    .
  • The Galland Law and its Reforms
     9 février 2009 .
    Marie-Laure Allain, Department of Economics, Ecole polytechique, CNRS, CREST-LEI, Claire Chambolle, INRA and Laboratoire d’Econométrie de l’Ecole Polytechnique, Thibaud Vergé, ENSAE, CREST-LEI.
    Presentation at the conference organized by the Innovation & Regulation in Digital Services Chair, Paris, February 2 , 2009, on « Producers and distributors: can regulation of retail help for better regulation of the Internet ».

    .
  • E-commerce and vertical relationships
     9 février 2009 .
    Anne Perrot, Vice-Présidenteof the Competition Authority
    Presentation at the conference organized by the Innovation & Regulation in Digital Services Chair, Paris, February 2 , 2009, on « Producers and distributors: can regulation of retail help for better regulation of the Internet ».

    .