Strategy for the Information Technology Firm
MBA 290T/ENG 290
3 Units (beginning Spring 2012)
Reza Moazzami
This is a Lecture course of the MOT program.
This course is intended to be the 'capstone' strategy and general management course for students interested in the global information technology industry.
Target audience:
- Students pursuing careers in the global information technology industry, including both those who are new to the industry as well as those who have had prior experience in the industry.
- Students pursuing careers in services firms (e.g. management consulting, investment banking, investment management) focusing on the IT industry will also find this course highly useful.
Learning objectives:
- View the IT industry through the eyes of the general manager/CEO of an IT firm (whether a start-up or an industry giant).
- Understand how to evaluate strategic options and their consequences.
- Understand the perspectives of various industry players and be able to anticipate how they are likely to behave under various circumstances.
In particular, we want to analyze responses to the following questions:
- What are the economics of IT production and distribution and how are the economics changing?
- What role do network effects and standards have on adoption of new products and services?
- How are IT products and services marketed and distributed?
- What are potential ways to price new products/services and what are the tradeoffs/consequences?
- How do IT firms compete and what are the sources of competitive advantage?
- How is the market for IT products and services in developing countries similar to or different from that of developed countries?
- What are the key regulatory and public policy issues facing the IT industry and how do they impact the individual entrepreneur/innovator?
Course Syllabus (pdf)
