THE ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES OF WWW

by Arnold Kling

Abstract

This paper attempts to begin a qualitative exploration of the economic consequences of the World Wide Web. It suggests that the marketing cost function using WWW has some unique properties. The economic changes implied by this unusual cost function are sketched out. Finally, the challenges to conventional economic paradigms are discussed.

  1. Introduction

  2. Comparing the World Wide Web to other media: the shape of the marketing cost function

  3. Implications of the unusual cost function of WWW

  4. Is economics a threatened occupation?

  5. Recommendations for further reading