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Examining Evolution of Technology Performance in the Global Smartphone Industry

Fatemi, Arman | 2015

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  1. Type of Document: M.Sc. Thesis
  2. Language: Farsi
  3. Document No: 48219 (45)
  4. University: Sharif University of Technology
  5. Department: Management and Economics
  6. Advisor(s): Kiamehr, Mehdi
  7. Abstract:
  8. In this research we have studied the changes in the technology performance in the smartphone industry, and by using theoretical models in technology management literature, we have compared this performance with coustomer’s required level of performance. The study shows that after 2011, the level of customer satisfactions depends less on the technology performance and more on the price. This observation is consistent with Christiensen’s suggested model for technology performance, in which after a certain point technology’s performance surpasses the customer’s need. In addition, we have studied the effect of modular design for smartphones on the customer’s satisfaction. We found that integrated companies gained more customer satisfaction in smartphone industry than companies with modular design. However, when we eliminated the effect of brand value from customer satisfaction, different results appeared. The above mentioned relationship between integration and customer satisfaction remained only until 2013 and after that companies offering modular smartphones gained comparatively higher level of customer satisfaction. This finding shows that Christiensen’s suggested relation between product design and customer satisfaction holds only if the effect of brand value on customer satisfaction is eliminated. In the last part of this research, we studied how latecomer firms in smartphone industry tried to catch up with leaders. The results reveal that a number of latecomer firms in this industry, instead of starting as OEM contractor for pioneers, and going through reverse product life cycle, started their catch up process with OBM structure and outsourced manufacturing of even their first products to OEM contractors, the strategy that pioneers do in this industry. The conclusions section touches upon the implications of this study for technology and innovation management literature and elaborates on the future research opportunities
  9. Keywords:
  10. Innovation Management ; Customer Satisfaction ; Smart Phones ; Technology Performance Level ; Latecomers ; Catch-Up

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