Technological Platforms

This book deals with the very new concept of technological platforms analyzing in particular three main positive effects coming from them such as higher innovation rate, faster product development and knowledge spillovers. Thanks to these positive effects, a successful platform implementation is able to foster the development of an entire industry, in particular that one characterized by complex products. At this purpose, Apple has been studied as the best case of a successful technological platform implementation in the high tech industry. From this perspective the Apple platform has been analyzed in terms of strategy, products and technological standards, hence the key success factors have been highlighted. Furthermore the Apple platform has been compared with two other platforms in the mobile phone industry like Symbian and Windows Mobile. In the second part of the book the author has developed his own idea for a technological platform able to foster another complex-products industry: the renewable energies. The strategy, the architecture and the leadership for this technological platform have been suggested looking also to some successful case like China and New Zealand.