Monopoly power = R&D

Federico Etro (Harvard): Etro proposes a new rationale for the persistence of monopolies based on a precommitment of the incumbent monopolist to invest in R&D. In other words, the monopolist stays on top, not by unlawfully exercising market power, but rather by continually investing in new technology.

Economic Journal, Vol. 114, pp. 281-303, April 2004