Antirival

Description

Antirival goods are characterized by increasing returns to shared use - they become more valuable as more people use them simultaneously. Unlike traditional rival goods (where one person's use prevents another's) or nonrival goods (where use by one doesn't prevent use by others), antirival goods actually benefit from increased usage. This concept is orthogonal to the traditional rival/nonrival classification rather than being a point on the same continuum.

Key characteristics:

• Increasing Returns: Value increases with number of users
• Network Effects: Benefits compound as the user base grows
• Positive Externalities: Each additional user adds value for all existing users
• Platform Dynamics: Often found in digital platforms and sharing economy systems

This tag should be used when discussing:

• Theoretical frameworks for goods classification
• Network effects and platform economics
• Sharing economy dynamics
• Co-goods that may exhibit antirival characteristics
• Increasing returns to adoption in cooperative systems

Notes

The antirival concept is particularly relevant for understanding how co-created physical products might exhibit network-effects, especially when they incorporate digital components or are part of networked production and consumption systems.

This concept was first formalized by [[F. Xavier Olleros]] in his 2018 paper on the sharing-economy. The relationship between antirival goods and commons theory offers insights into sustainable resource management at scale.

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Template Version: 1 Created: 2025-09-11 Last Updated: 2025-09-11