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