Citation

Discussion Paper Details

Please find the details for DP4892 in an easy to copy and paste format below:

Full Details

Title: The Economics of Books

Author(s): Marcel Canoy, Frederick van der Ploeg and Jan C. van Ours

Publication Date: February 2005

Keyword(s): authors, books, diversity, internet, libraries, monopolistic competition, publishers, retail price maintenance and subsidies

Programme Area(s): Industrial Organization

Abstract: The tensions between books and book markets as expressions of culture and books as products in profit-making businesses are analysed and insights from the theory of industrial organisation are given. Governments intervene in the market for books through laws concerning prices of books, grants for authors and publishers, a lower value-added tax, public libraries and education in order to stimulate the diversity of books on offer, increase the density of retail outlets and to promote reading. An overview of the different ways by which countries differ in terms of market structures and government policies is given. Particular attention is paid to retail price maintenance. Due to differences between European countries it is not a good idea to harmonise European book policies. Our analysis suggests that the book market seems quite able to invent solutions to specific problems of the book trade and that, apart from promoting reading, there is little need for government intervention.

For full details and related downloads, please visit: https://cepr.org/active/publications/discussion_papers/dp.php?dpno=4892

Bibliographic Reference

Canoy, M, van der Ploeg, F and van Ours, J. 2005. 'The Economics of Books'. London, Centre for Economic Policy Research. https://cepr.org/active/publications/discussion_papers/dp.php?dpno=4892