The Economic Impacts of Digital Distribution: Theory and Evidence

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24330080
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Applied economics
• Research Institution: Kobe University
• Principal Investigator: Masayoshi Maruyama 神戸大学, 経営学研究科, 教授 (60135928)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 南川 和充 南山大学, 経営学部, 教授 (10295834) ; 鄭 潤チョル 慶應義塾大学, 商学部, 准教授 (10439218) ; 山下 悠 滋賀大学, 経済学部, 准教授 (10550056) ; 松井 建二 神戸大学, 経営学研究科, 教授 (20345474) ; 黄 りん 神戸大学, 経営学研究科, 教授 (40225363)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: プラットフォーム・ビジネス / ツーサイド・マーケット / 間接ネットワーク効果 / デジタル・コンテンツ / インターネット

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Recently, advances in digital technology have revolutionized traditional distribution channels. Digital distribution has been prevalent, and content including music, books, video game, images and the like are delivered through digital means, usually via the internet instead of using physical media. In many industries such as telecommunications, broadcasting, newspapers, publishing, music, etc., the fusion of industries to destroy the boundaries of industries is currently in progress. In this research, we addressed the issue of the economic impacts of digital distribution from the standpoint of business economics in the form of a triple of case-based, theoretical, and empirical studies. We have investigated the relationship between the changes in business model and industrial structure and the social welfare. The results of our research have been reported at several international conferences and published in several international refereed journals.

Free Research Field

社会科学