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Volume :29 Issue : 2 2001
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Information Goods: The Case of Islamic Heritage Book Software
Auther : Mohammad I. Al-Suhaibani
All forms of information that have been digitized are information goods (e.g. e-book, digital video and software). This paper discusses properties of information goods that seem to cause problems for a competitive market. Production of information goods involves high fixed cost but low marginal cost. This cost structure implies that the market for information goods cannot be competitive. Furthermore, information goods are comparable to public goods (they are inherently non - rival and eventually non - excludable). Due to free rider problem, information goods either will not be supplied by the market or, if supplied, will be supplied in insufficient quantities. The paper also discusses the best strategies to deal with these problems, focusing on Islamic heritage book software as an example of information goods that has a distinct composition. The paper proposes a move that is expected to enhance the market for this software.
Keywords: Information goods, Digital economy, Intellectual property rights, Islamic heritage, Book software.