DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE

University of Toronto

CSC454/2527F: The Business of Software

January-April 2000

Reading List: Assignments and Due Dates

3 January 2000

Underlining indicates course lecture notes, which appear on the course Web site.

Roman face indicates a textbook; Italic face indicates a reading in the course pack.

10 January

VV Part I Innovation in The Software Industry

VV Part II Focus and Objectives: Defining and Planning the Business

BUS Ch. 1 What Investors Look For -- and Look Out For, 1-23

BUS Ch. 2 Judging a Book by Its Cover, 24-42

BUS Ch. 3 What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up?, 43-64

BUS Ch. 4 What's the User Benefit and Other Marketing Issues, 65-87

APP Introduction, 3-10

APP Part I Digital Strategy, 11-12

APP Ch. 1 The Killer App, 13-33

APP Ch. 2 The New Economics, 35-55

APP Ch. 3 Digital Strategy, 57-72

APP Part II Designing the Killer App. 73-77

APP Ch. 4 Reshaping the Landscape, 79-109

APP Ch. 5 Building New Connections, 111-138

INN The Discipline of Innovation, 67-72

PAR Ch. 4 They're Everywhere, 53, 55-77

17 January

VV Part III Opportunity and Timing: Market and Product Planning

BUS Ch. 5 Selling and Supporting Your Product, 88-105

BUS Ch. 6 Product Develop. and Manufacturing: Impact on Investment, 106-124

BUS Ch. 7 What's the Management Team Like?, 125-145

BUS Ch. 8 Those %&*#@! Financial Projections, 146-163

ENT Ch. 1 First Commandment, ...Primary Participants..., 13-21

ENT Ch. 2 Second Commandment, Define the Business..., 23-28

ENT Ch. 3 Third Commandment, ...Operational Objectives..., 29-36

TEC Ch. 2 The Winning Strategy (part), 12-32

24 January

ENT App. A How to Conduct an Industry Analysis, 145-153

HTV Ch. 3 The Business Plan: A Road Map and a Scorecard..., 34-58

HTV Ch. 9 Marketing and Sales (part), 201-244

TOR Ch. 2 Crossing the Chasm – And Beyond (part), 13-26

TOR Ch. 3 In the Bowling Alley (part), 27-43

CUS Setting the Stage, xiii-xx

CUS How to Create a Profitable Electronic Business Strategy, 3-7

CUS Amazon.com, 123-136

7 February

VV Part IV Propriet. Technology & Capability: Research & Develop.

HTV Ch. 8 The Product (part), 186-199

MMM Ch. 2 The Mythical Man-Month, 13-26

SEC Introduction (part), 1-13

MIC How Microsoft Builds Software, 53-61

21 February

VV Part V Marketing and Sales of Software Services & Products

REG Ch. 2 Dynamic Positioning: ... New Marketing (part), 19-33

REG Ch. 4 Market Positioning: Five Ways to Gain Recognition (part), 53-82

MAR Ch. 4 Differentiation -- of Anything (part), 72-85

MAR Ch. 6 Relationship Management (part), 111-119

CAN Ch. 5 Scott Cook, Intuit: It’s the Customer, Stupid, Part II, 73-85

13 March

VV Part VI Cash: Financial Management and Financing

HTV Ch. 4 Cash, Financeability, and Control, 59-84

FIN Ch. 5 Profit Planning and Decisions (part), 91-98, 100-103

FIN Ch. 2 From Scorekeeping to Financ. Statements (part), 18-22, 31-43, 46-49

FIN Ch. 3 Analyzing Changes in Financial Statements (part), 63-68

FIN Ch. 4 Interpreting Financ. Statements Through Ratio Analysis (part), 69-80

GRO Ch. 16 A Small Business is Not a Little Big Business (part), 149-159

20 March

VV Part VII Leadership and Management

BUS The Rich-Gumpert Evaluation System, 164-170

BUS Ch. 9 Shopping For Funds, 171-191

BUS Ch. 10 And Now It's Show Biz, 192-209

ENT Ch. 5 Fifth Commandment, ...Proven Records of Success..., 77-86

ENT Ch. 6 Sixth Commandment, ...Performance...Standards..., 87-95

HTV Ch. 2 The People, 10-33

GRO Ch. 32 Coping with Entrepreneurial Stress, 319-331

27 March

VV Part VIII Partnerships: Strategic Alliances, Mergers, & Acquisitions

ENT Ch. 7 Seventh Commandment, ...Profitable Base..., 97-107

ENT Ch. 8 Eighth Commandment, ...Conserve Cash & Credit..., 109-115

ENT Ch. 9 Ninth Commandment, ...Detached Point of View..., 117-128

ENT Ch. 10 Tenth Commandment, Anticipate ... Change..., 129-142