The structure of the computer industry

Abstract

This study updates the assessment of the industrial and market structure of the computer manufacturing and software development industries. It describes the structure of these industries in terms of market concentration, barriers to entry, organizational strategies, and legal issues. It also examines the impact of the PC revolution on the market structure of computer manufacturing and software development. Additionally, it describes and analyzes events in computer manufacturing and software development since the late 1980s in terms of alliances, mergers, and market concentration, as the computer industry shakes out marginal participants and re-aligns the market power and technology rights of major players. The study forecasts a ten year scenario for the evolution of the computer manufacturing and software development industries by extrapolating from recent events and from histories of similar mature industries.