Electronic Services Networks : A Business and Public Policy Challenge

Electronic services networks--systems of terminals and computers linked by telecommunication apparatus and used to process transactions--have had an increasing influence on industrial structures and commercial practices over the past decade. Margaret Guerin-Calvert and Steven Wildman have assembled diverse essays representing the best of current thinking on these networks. The book provides the reader with varied theoretical perspectives on ESNs and their effects on business and finance and contains five case studies that apply these theoretical ideas to issues raised by the proliferation of these networks. Unlike other works, which have focused on ESNs as features of specific industries, this collection explores the networks themselves as economic phenomena. The contributions are grouped into two parts. The first presents general theoretical perspectives on the economics of various ESNs, their effects on the industries and markets that employ them, and the policy issues they raise. Among the topics discussed are structural relationships among ESNs, their effect on organizational structures, compatibility between shared networks, and competitive search facilitation. In Part II, the contributors offer a detailed look at the economic policy histories of ESNs in specific industries, including banking, real estate, airlines, and travel. There are discussions of automatic teller machines, computer reservation systems, multiple-listing services, and electronic data interchange. These studies demonstrate the incredible variety of applications of ESN technology and make this an indispensable resource for professionals in all types of businesses that use or could use ESNs, as well as for students in a wide range of law, business, and public policy courses.