34151 - Information and Internet Economics

Academic Year 2011/2012

  • Docente: Diego Lanzi
  • Credits: 6
  • SSD: SECS-P/01
  • Language: Italian
  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
  • Campus: Bologna
  • Corso: First cycle degree programme (L) in Information Science for Management (cod. 8014)

Learning outcomes

The course provides microeconomic methods, concepts and tools for analyzing: (i) information goods markets; (ii) production and consumption choices in digital goods markets; (iii) internet markets and (iv) software markets.

Course contents


1. Introduction to Microeconomics and Information Economics

2. Information goods

3. Lock-in effects, network externalities and the issue of compatibility

4. Competition in information goods markets

5. Copyright and Copyleft: the software market

6. Internet Economics

7. Broadband markets

Readings/Bibliography

Varian H.R. (2005) "Microeconomics", Cafoscarina, Venezia

Comino S., Manenti F. (2008) "Economia di Internet e delle ICT", Giappichelli, Torino



Varian H.R. (2002) “The Economics of Information Technology”, dispensa

Lanzi D. (2003) “Reti e Comportamento Strategico: un'introduzione”, dispensa

MacKie-Mason J., Varian H.R. (1994) ''Economic FAQs about the Internet'', Journal of Economic Perspective, 8(3), pp.75-96

Jackson M. (2003) “A Survey on Models of Network Formation: Efficiency and Stability”, dispensa

Assessment methods

Written Exam

Office hours

See the website of Diego Lanzi