• Journal of Korea Technology Innovation Society
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.145-170
• /
• 2008

The existence of network is indeed the single most important factor that brings about new business phenomena in the new digital economy, especially in the IT industry. Network effect refers to a phenomenon that the increase in size of the network leads to increased network value and user utility. It determines the competitive structure of an industry and the performances of industry competitors (Shapiro and Varian, 1999). The phenomenon of increasing returns and winner-take-all enjoyed by the early winner in the competition can be attributed to the existence of positive feedback which increases the value of network and induces more users into join the network (Arthur, 1996; Shapiro and Varian, 1999; Song and Lee, 2003). This research attempts to shed light on the topic of innovation and competitive strategy of network-based industries. We analyze the case of the Korean mobile communications industry, in which a shift in technological paradigm from 2G to 3G brought new changes to the competitive structure of the industry. The Korean mobile communications industry makes an ideal case for analysis since it is an industry whose value is inherently dependent upon its user network. It is characterized by the typical increasing returns, in which a monopolizing player is enjoying firstmover's network effects. Because of the existence of network in the mobile communications industry, latecomers' disruptive innovations could not outcompete the incumbent's sustaining innovations. The contribution of this research lies in laying a groundwork for future studies by introducing a numerical simulation model to analyze the complexity theory and network effect.