本課程採用理論模型以及「舊經濟」的產業研究藉以瞭解電子商務的成長與未來。在課程開始我們將探討工業組織的相關話題，其中包括價格壟斷、差別定價、產品差異化、進入壁壘、網路外生效應、搜尋及先行優勢。課程的大部分內容都會討論一些電子產業。在這些部分中我們將探討本課程第一個部分中的一些概念的外延與應用，追溯到往昔的科技革命並研究一些當今社會中的案例。最後，我們將討論兩個額外的主題：資產市場的泡沫以及網際網路的總體經濟學(大陸稱之為「宏觀經濟學」)效應。

這是一門大學進階課程。要求學生必須熟悉數學建模、個體經濟學(大陸稱之為“微觀經濟學”)、計量經濟學分析以及博弈論基礎。學生必須學習過14.03和18.06兩門課程，或者14.12和6.840。掌握好14.03課程級別的統計學知識，會對該本課程中的許多知識點非常有用。在學習過程中，計量經濟學的相關知識也會有所觸及。本課程在第一個月中涉及的材料與14.20課程有許多重疊部分。

由於目前沒有足夠優秀的電子商務方面的教科書，所以到現場聆聽講座就顯得尤其重要。如果有學生希望取得編寫好的課本或者不聽課而自修，那麼請選擇其他課程。這門課的多數閱讀材料都是學術性或者科普性的文章，有些可以從網際網路上獲取或者在圖書館查閱。教學大綱同樣包括了在許多課前必須完成的網上資料查詢工作。在此我推薦兩本不錯的教科書，但是它們都不會被重點採用。首推的是Pepall、Richards和Norman共同編寫的《工業組織：當代理論與實踐》(西南學院1999年版)[PRN]。以本書作為參考將有助於協助解釋第一個月中我講到的模型。另外一本許多同學將會希望購買的是Shapiro與Varian合著的《資訊規則》(哈佛商學院1999年版)[SV]，書中包含了很多對於網路外生效應及其相關主體的非技術性探討。還有一本我不常用的MBA課本《網路行銷原理》(Hanson編著，西南學院2000年版)[H]，價格不菲但是提供了很多相關背景資料。最近還出現了兩本電子商務書籍，分別是Robert Hall的《數位交易》(W.W. Norton 2001年版)以及Soon-Yong Choi和Andrew Whinston合著的《網際網路網際網路經濟學》(SmartEcon 2001年版)。每本書和我的講座都沒有太大重疊，但確實為有興趣的同學提供了不錯的課外閱讀材料。

本課程的得分，基於以下幾點進行評判：六道習題(20%)、一篇小論文(15%)、一次期中測驗(25%)和一次三小時的期末考試(40%)。我們希望學生能夠自行完成我們出的問答題。建議各位定期出席複習複習課，因為助教將會與各位共同探討習題、明晰講座材料以及提供一些實用性的指導。期中測驗將會在「線上投資」講座之後兩天舉行。期末考試定在考試周期閒。論文的提交日期在「版權與Napster」講座的當天。六道習題將在教學過程中佈置。

1. 習題的設置是為了幫助各位更好地理解講座和複習課中出現的資料。我們允許學生在課堂上和同學探討包括課後後作業在內的課程資料。即便如此，各位同學必須獨立完成每一道作業。集體討論是為了釐清觀點、概念和技術問題，而不是去共同完成後課後作業。一模一樣的作業答案(特別是對於沒有給出解題步驟或解釋不清的)將被視作違規並對其作出零分處理。
2. 只要書寫工整，手寫的作業也相當不錯。但是請記住：如果難以看清字跡，我們將無從給分。
3. 為了對按時交納作業的同學公平起見，我們不收取遲交的作業。請在規定的時間期限內於課上上交作業。
4. 學生必須參加期中考試。沒有正當理由而未參加考試者將被判作整個課程不及格。為規範起見，學生必須在其中考試之前給出不能參加考試的理由。免考申請必須親筆書寫並經過確認。這些標準是必須的但是並不會涵蓋全部。我有權利裁定符合上述條件的理由為無效。如果一個學生的理由屬實，我有權利決定是給予補考機會（筆試或者口試），還是側重於習題和期末考試並以此評判成績。
5. 所有重新判卷的申請必需在考試成績下發後一周內提出。

舞弊或者任何形式的學術欺騙都被視為無法容忍的行為，將被處以重罰。這包括了(但並不僅限於)：抄襲其他學生的考卷、在考試中交頭接耳、在考試中夾帶字條或計算器等違規物品、篡改考卷以圖重新判分以及偽造書面免考申請。任何學生一旦被發現此種作弊行為，將在相關考試中被判不及格，並提交麻省理工學院德育處作進一步處理。

麻省理工學院的學術誠信守則可以參閱以下網址：
http://web.mit.edu/policies/10.0.html

This course uses theoretical models and studies of "old economy" industries to help understand the growth and future of electronic commerce. We will begin with a discussion of relevant topics from industrial organization including monopoly pricing, price discrimination, product differentiation, barriers to entry, network externalities, search and first-mover advantages. The largest part of the course will be a discussion of a number of e-industries. In this section we'll discuss extensions and applications of the ideas from the first part of the course, draw analogies to previous technological revolutions and read current case studies. Finally, we'll discuss two additional topics: bubbles in asset markets and the macroeconomic effects of the Internet.

This is an advanced undergraduate course. It requires that students be comfortable with mathematical modeling, microeconomics, econometric analysis, and basic game theory. Students are required to have either taken 14.03 and 18.06; or to have taken 14.12 and 6.840. Familiarity with statistics at the level of 14.30 will be useful at several points in the course. Econometrics will also come up occasionally. The material covered in the first month of the course has substantial overlap with material covered in 14.20.

There is no good textbook to use for studying e-commerce. Coming to lectures will be very important. Students who want a structured textbook presentation or who want to skip lectures should take another course. Most of the readings for the course are academic and popular articles. Some of these can be found on the Internet and others will be on reserve in the library. The syllabus also includes required web surfing that should be done in advance of many lectures. I have listed two texts as recommended, but none will be used heavily. The most highly recommended is Industrial Organization: Contemporary Theory and Practice by Pepall, Richards and Norman (South-Western College, 1999) [PRN]. This book will be useful as a reference for the models I'll be covering in the first month. Another book that some students may want to buy is Information Rules by Shapiro and Varian (Harvard Business School, 1999) [SV]. It has interesting non-technical discussions of network externalities and some other relevant topics. An expensive MBA text that I won't use much, but which provides background information relevant to some lectures is Principles of Internet Marketing by Hanson (South-Western College, 2000) [H]. Two recent e-commerce textbooks are Digital Dealing by Robert Hall (W.W. Norton, 2001) and The Internet Economy by Soon-Yong Choi and Andrew Whinston (SmartEcon, 2000). Neither has much overlap with most of my lectures, but they do provide additional reading for interested students.

The course grade will be based on six problem sets (20%), a short paper (15%), a midterm exam (25%) and a three-hour final exam (40%). You are expected to complete the problem sets on your own. Regular attendance at the recitation is strongly recommended, as the TA will discuss problem sets, clarify lecture material, and provide other useful guidance. The midterm exam will be given two days after the lecture on Online Investing. The final exam will be during the exam period. The paper will be due on the day of lecture on Copyrights and Napster. There will be six problem sets posted during the term of the course.

1. Problem sets are designed to help you learn how to apply the material presented in lectures and recitations. You are permitted to discuss course material, including homework, with other students in the class. However, you must turn in your own individual solutions to each homework set. Discussion with others is intended to clarify ideas, concepts, and technical questions, not to derive group homework set solutions. Identical homework set answers (especially when the steps used to derive answers are not shown or when questions of interpretation are involved) violate this policy and may receive no credit.
2. Handwritten solutions are fine, as long as they are legible and neat. Please remember: if we can't read it, we can't grade it.
3. In fairness to students who complete assignments on time, late homework sets will not be accepted. You may turn in assignments during the lecture on the day they are due.
4. Taking the midterm is a requirement of the course. Missing the midterm without a valid excuse will result in a failing grade for the entire course. To be considered valid, an excuse must be proffered prior to the exam that is to be missed, if at all possible. The excuse must be in writing, and it must be verifiable. These criteria are necessary, not sufficient, however. I reserve the right to deem an excuse meeting the above criteria invalid. If a student does have a valid excuse I reserve the right to decide to give a written make-up, to give an oral make-up exam or to give no make-up exam and put extra weight on the problem sets and final exam.
5. All requests for regrades must be submitted in writing within one week of the exam being handed back.

Cheating or academic dishonesty in any form will not be tolerated and will result in swift punitive action. This includes but is not restricted to copying information from other students' exams, communicating with other students during exams, failing to follow the rules of the exams regarding notes, calculators, etc., altering an exam for the purpose of a regrade, and producing fraudulent written excuses. Any student found to have cheated or behaved unethically or dishonestly will be given a grade of F on the exam involved and referred to the appropriate disciplinary committees within MIT for further action.

MIT's academic honesty policy can be found at the following link:
http://web.mit.edu/policies/10.0.html