A Analysis of the Future & Projected
Change of an Industry of Your Choice
This term
in class we will strategically analyze the personal computer industry as well as
various articles that relate to innovation and change. Our focus in these
exercises is on the dynamics of growth and change within this industry. Through what "windows of
opportunity" did successful companies pass? What were the strategic inflection points
that were key to change? What companies recognized strategic change points and were
successful? What companies failed and why? What were the strategic
relationships? And most importantly, how would you predict the future of
this industry?
A major goal of the above
analyses is to develop the ability to generalize this type of analysis to other
industries. For example, in class we will also explore an industry in an
earlier stage of development, Nano
Technology, and discuss how the future might look as a result of it.
Your Term
Paper: Your group which will be comprised of a triad of three people will write a term paper about the future of
any industry of your choice (or any aspect of an industry). In this paper you will discuss/predict how it
will change in the next five or so years based on technology and markets. You will
identify existing change or inflection points and circumstances and explain how these will
affect the change you predict.
You will write this "paper" using an "html" format (word
etc) with relevant links. I will demonstrate what is required in class. This paper will also
be turned in on disk where I will grade it on line. Examples of this
format can be viewed in the nano technology link above or in a more personal
cite like Lemon Yellow.
Alternatively, based on your future projections of an industry, your group's
term paper can take the form of a business plan that specifically meets an
opportunity determined in that industry.