Approach for analysing capabilities in latecomer software companies
Rossitza Rousseva
#2007-035
Software development activities have been identified as a 'window of
opportunity' for latecomer companies. Notwithstanding the growth of
software development activities in the latecomers, there are single
exceptional cases of companies that have successfully launched their own
products in global software markets. This suggests that most of the
latecomer software companies possess limited technological capabilities.
This point has not been explored systematically in the literature so
far, as the critical literature review reveals. This paper develops an
approach for analysing technological capabilities in latecomer software
industries. It outlines the specifics in analysing technological
capability in latecomer software companies and makes an account of the
array of technical and organisational capabilities associated with
development of software technological capability. The research also
looks at the diverse learning paths pursued by the latecomer companies
in developing software activities. The study improves our understanding
about the complexity in developing software industries in latecomer
context, and the challenges the latecomer companies face in entering and
competing in international markets.
Keywords: technological capabilities, software industry, latecomers
JEL codes: O32, O33, O57
UNU-MERIT Working Papers
ISSN 1871-9872