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This book offers a practical introduction to Industrial Economics, designed for undergraduate and graduate students interested in how markets and firms really work. It begins with the foundations of perfect competition, showing why economists use this model as the benchmark for efficiency and consumer welfare. From there, the text explores real-world market structures monopoly, oligopoly, and monopolistic competition where firms gain power to influence prices and strategies. Readers are guided through key questions about how companies compete, cooperate, and innovate. The book also examines regulation and competition policy, explaining the origins of antitrust laws and tools for measuring market power. In its final section, it explores the economics of information, with special attention to Contract Theory and the principal-agent model, highlighting how incentives and information shape business decisions. Clear explanations and case-based insights make this book engaging for specialists and non-specialists alike.
List of contents
Chapter 1: Introduction.- Part 1: Imperfect Structures.- Chapter 2: Monopoly.-Chapter 3: The Differentiation.- Chapter 4: Oligopoly.- Part 2: Market Dynamics: Contract Theory And Competition Policy.- Chapter 5: Contract theory.- Chapter 6:Competition policy.- Chapter 7: Answer Exercises.- Chapter 8: Appendix.
About the author
Cintya Lanchimba is Associate Professor in the Departamento de Economía Cuantitativa at Escuela Politécnica Nacional, Ecuador. She is also Associate Researcher at IAE|IREGE, France. She has authored and co-authored numerous papers in prestigious journals, covering topics such as distribution networks, market structure, franchise, ecosystems, psychological capital, family businesses, among others.
Summary
This book offers a practical introduction to Industrial Economics, designed for undergraduate and graduate students interested in how markets and firms really work. It begins with the foundations of perfect competition, showing why economists use this model as the benchmark for efficiency and consumer welfare. From there, the text explores real-world market structures—monopoly, oligopoly, and monopolistic competition—where firms gain power to influence prices and strategies. Readers are guided through key questions about how companies compete, cooperate, and innovate. The book also examines regulation and competition policy, explaining the origins of antitrust laws and tools for measuring market power. In its final section, it explores the economics of information, with special attention to Contract Theory and the principal-agent model, highlighting how incentives and information shape business decisions. Clear explanations and case-based insights make this book engaging for specialists and non-specialists alike.
