Strict modules and homotopy modules in stable homotopy (Q2570216)

Let \(HR\) be the Eilenberg-MacLane spectrum corresponding to a ring \(R\). In a category of spectra with a strictly associative and commutative smash product, such as the category of \(S\)-modules or the category of symmetric spectra, one can define a category of strict \(HR\)-modules, place a model structure on it, and so obtain a homotopy category of strict \(HR\)-modules. Alternatively, working in the stable homotopy category, one can form a category of homotopy \(HR\)-modules, where the diagrams of structure maps are required to commute only up to homotopy. The author shows that the homotopy category of strict \(HR\)-modules is equivalent to the category of homotopy \(HR\)-modules if \(R\) is a field or if \(R\) is a subring of the rationals, but not if \(R\) has global dimension greater than \(1\).