Industrial organization, trade and social capital

This thesis applies game theoretic tools to the investigation of the dynamic effects of several forms of local interaction externalities. It consists of three chapters. The first, "Competition and Reputation", is devoted to study repeated interaction among oligopolits in markets with asymmetric information. The second, "Trade Policy and Industrial Structure", focuses on interaction among monopolistic competitors facing foreign competition, and on their learning externalities. The third, "Economic Growth and Social Development", investigates the patterns of private and social capital accumulation, arising from individual choices in an environment with social interaction externalities.