This paper estimates quality and cost innovations in the early automobile,
personal computer, rigid disk drive, computer monitor, and computer printer
industries using industry-level data on firm numbers, price, quantity, and
quality and an equilibrium model of industry evolution. The results challe
nge the notion that new industries experience quality innovation early on a
nd cost innovation later on. In the microelectronics industries the rate of
quality improvement does not diminish over time. In the automobile industr
y, even though the rate of quality improvement is highest early on, the pro
fitability of quality advantages is highest later on. (C) 2001 Academic Pre
ss.