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Managing strategic evolution in fast‐paced technological environments: The case of software development in ‘Silicon Prairie’
Author(s) -
Levenhagen Michael,
Porac Joseph F.,
Thomas Howard
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
strategic change
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.527
H-Index - 16
eISSN - 1099-1697
pISSN - 1086-1718
DOI - 10.1002/jsc.4240030507
Subject(s) - vision , competitive advantage , credibility , business , marketing , knowledge management , reputation , industrial organization , process management , computer science , sociology , anthropology , law , social science , political science
Abstract In this open‐ended interview study of software entrepreneurs in an area known as ‘Silicon Prairie’ in the Midwest of the US, the authors examine the problems of managing strategic change in fast‐paced technological environments. Managers emphasize that when commercializing new technologies: the process of selling their strategic visions is the preeminent concern; technological standards and organizational exemplars are used as competitive benchmarks; competitive advantage is associated with creating new product categories and the selling of technological visions; visions must be distinctive; organizational ‘credibility’ or ‘reputation’ needs to be created and/or captured; stakeholders need to ‘buy into’ their visions and establish a competitive consensus; competitive communities may form with the cognitive first mover (visionary) as central player; technology is the fundamental driver of market structure and techno logical instab il itykhange; knowledge is important in defining the strategic assets leading to competitive success: the knowledge of users' tasks? technology? and of the varying perceptions of market participants; traditional management tasks are all focused upon creating and supporting commercial legitimacy within highly illstructured market domains; and software development managers attempt to establish marketdomain boundaries for competitive advantage, rather than maintain pre‐existing competitive boundaries (as in more mature markets).