Appliance model of selling software bundled with hardware

Thesis (S.M.M.O.T.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management, Management of Technology Program, 2007.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 95-103).The business model of selling software bundled with hardware is called the appliance model. As hardware becomes less and less expensive and open source software is being offered for free, the traditional business model of selling packaged software is being threatened. This disruption in the software industry is forcing software vendors to consider other business models such as advertising-based, transaction-based, software-as-a-service or appliance-based models in order to create additional value for customers. Most of these models have existed in variants for decades but are now gaining in popularity due to factors such as changing cost structures or the Internet as a delivery channel. This thesis analyzes the economic drivers and barriers for the appliance model for both the consumer and enterprise software industry segments. Important drivers of the appliance model for both of these sectors are hardware commoditization, open source software and vertical integration in order to capture margins. In the enterprise software segment the complexity of traditional software integration and operation including unpredictability of total cost of ownership, rising IT personnel cost and maintenance fees are driving the adoption of the appliance model.(cont.) In the consumer software segment, ease of use, limited battery life, disintermediated distribution and prestige are important economic factors. The appliance model also has a number of economic disadvantages that hinder its adoption. Among these are the additional competencies that a company needs to build, supply chain and distribution costs, as well as inflexibility and inconvenience for the customer. Decision criteria for companies considering adopting the appliance model are also discussed. Industry examples in the consumer and enterprise software segment are examined and specific companies are used as case studies. Among these are the digital music player, digital video recorder, router and enterprise search markets. The possible implementation paths for software companies transitioning to the appliance model are proposed and the virtual appliance model as a next adoption step is discussed.by Bettina Hein.S.M.M.O.T

Management of intermediated channels for high technology firms : achieving success in a dynamic and rapidly changing marketplace

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management, 2005.Includes bibliographical references.One of the most challenging problems for high technology firms in an increasingly global marketplace is the effective utilization of intermediated sales channels. As product development cycles shorten, there can be a scenario where the rate of product and solutions development and introduction to the market out-pace the manufacturer's ability to sell, service, and support the new products and solutions. There are many challenges to be overcome in providing a third party organization with the knowledge, skills and tools necessary to successfully propose, implement, operate and support high technology products and solutions designed, manufactured and marketed by another company. As firms both large and small look to indirect channels to expand their coverage in existing markets and or to penetrate new markets, significant investments in channel support infrastructure and best-in-class channel management techniques are increasingly a necessity to achieve success in a global channel network.(cont.) The objective of this thesis will be to closely examine the enterprise data communications equipment market segment to develop an understanding of how successful firms effectively utilized intermediated channels to attain remarkable market share at the expense of competitors who were not able to do so. From this understanding generalizations will be drawn that will provide a number of management practices that guide other high technology firms in design and implementation of their intermediated channel programs.by John-Paul Gorsky.S.M

ENERGY CONSUMPTION OF MOBILE PHONES

Battery consumption in mobile applications development is a very important aspect and has to be considered by all the developers in their applications. This study will present an analysis of different relevant concepts and parameters that may have an impact on energy consumption of Windows Phone applications. This operating system was chosen because limited research related thereto has been conducted, even though there are related studies for Android and iOS operating systems. Furthermore, another reason is the increasing number of Windows Phone users. The objective of this research is to categorise the energy consumption parameters (e.g. use of one thread or several threads for the same output). The result for each group of experiments will be analysed and a rule will be derived. The set of derived rules will serve as a guide for developers who intend to develop energy efficient Windows Phone applications. For each experiment, one application is created for each concept and the results are presented in two ways; a table and a chart. The table presents the duration of the experiment, the battery consumed in the experiment, the expected battery lifetime, and the energy consumption, while the charts display the energy distribution based on the main threads: UI thread, application thread, and network thread

A WEB-BASED ENVIRONMENTAL TOOLKIT TO SUPPORT SMES IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF AN ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

With small and medium sized-enterprises (SMEs) taking up the majority of the global businesses, it is important they act in an environmentally responsible manner. Environmental management systems (EMS) help companies evaluate and improve their environmental impact but they often require human, financial, and temporary resources that not all SMEs can afford. This research encompasses interviews with representatives of two small enterprises in Germany to provide insights into their understanding, and knowledge of an EMS and how they perceive their responsibility towards the environment. Furthermore, it presents a toolkit created especially for small and medium-sized enterprises. It serves as a simplified version of an EMS based on the ISO 14001 standard and is evaluated by target users and appropriate representatives. Some of the findings are: while open to the idea of improving their environmental impact, SMEs do not always feel it is their responsibility to do so; they seem to lack the means to fully implement an EMS. The developed toolkit is considered useful and usable and recommendations are drawn for its future enhancement

The Plastics Collection Reference Packet

This reference packet is an informational tool to support further research into the history of plastics—whether interested in companies, individuals within the plastics industry\u27s history, historical plastics materials, essays, and more. All content featured within this packet was previously published on the former plastics.syr.edu website as part of a Syracuse University Libraries and Special Collections Research Center (SCRC) partnership established in 2007 with the Plastics Pioneers Association (PPA)—an association of plastics industry professionals interested in preserving the plastics industry\u27s past