This textbook on network economics provides essential microeconomic instruments for the analysis of network sectors like telecommunications, transport or energy. Network-specific characteristics emerge both on the cost side and benefit side, requiring network providers to develop innovative entrepreneurial competition strategies for costing, pricing, and investment. From a competition policy perspective, a number of interesting questions arise: In which parts of networks is competition functional? In contrast, where is an abuse of market power to be expected? What is the division of labor between cartel authorities and regulatory agencies? The book develops an analytical framework for all network industries which allows readers to study entrepreneurial strategies as well as regulation and competition policies for network industries.

Günter Knieps is professor of Economics at the University of Freiburg (Germany) and Director of the Institute for Transport Economics and Regional Policy. Before that he held a position as professor of microeconomics at the University of Groeningen. He has diplomas in economics and mathematics and a PhD in mathematical economics from the University of Bonn. He obtained his habilitation in Bern. He is a Member of the Board of Academic Advisors to the Federal Ministry for Economics Affairs and Energy as well as of the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure. Professor Knieps' main research interests include the study of network economics, deregulation, competition policy, industrial economics, and sector studies on energy, telecommunications and transportation. He has published widely in academic and professional journals.