It is well known that the Internet has significantly reduced consumers'search costs online. But relatively little is known about how searchcosts affect consumer demand structure in online markets. In this paper,we identify the impact of search costs on firm competition and marketstructure by...

This dissertation investigates the impact of online product information on consumers, firms and markets. The first chapter of this dissertation proves that better access to product information increases consumer demand and their willingness-to-pay, leading to a new era where firms can charge...

This dissertation consists of three essays on the role of social values in financial markets. Chapter 1 uses geographic variation in religious concentration to identify the effect of people's gambling behavior in financial market settings. We argue that religious background predicts people's...