Technology Leadership is ether developed or bought. There are just two ways.
Lets look at Google as example. Google is leading search engine in world, and for good reason: its search technology is tremendous. Founder Larry Page and Sergen Brin developed the technology and are the two names behind Goggle’s meteoric rise.
Google also has another incredible product called Google Earth. It allows users to view very detailed satellite photographs of locations all over the world. It is really amazing. It was used by TV stations in United States to show views the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. it has also caused lot of controversy as some countries are fearful that this tool could be used by terrorists to target strategic institutions. No moter what, this product consolidates googles Technology Leadership in the space – “Search”. You might be surprised to learn that Google did not develop this. It bought the technology, rather it bought the company who developed it.
CISCO – the American computer network company, not the security service company in Singapore – is the master of acquisitions. It buys innovative companies with technology leadership and absorbs them into CISCO Empire. It allows the respective founders to continue to run their “Companies “ and use CISCO’s marketing muscle and distribution network to sell their products or services. This model has worked very well over the years.
So, what you don’t have in terms of technology, you can always buy, provided you can raise the money.
Tomorrows Article: What do you do with your technology leadership?
Also read : http://www.techsoup.org/learningcenter/techplan/archives/page9810.cfm
