Table of Contents
Planning and Starting A Successful Software Company
How to Contact Me
Introduction
Ronald M. Baecker
Ronald M. Baecker (contíd)
Objectives
Methods
Course Themes
Other principles for success
Guest Entrepreneurs
Strategic Issue Session
Schedule Day One
Any Questions?
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I. Innovation in The Software Industry
Data on the Canadian Software Products Industry
Data on the U.S. Software Products Industry 1
Data on the U.S. Software Products Industry 2
The Multi-faceted Business of Software
Varieties of software-related business
Many Kinds of Software
Hardware-enabled Software Paradigms
Examples
Drucker's Sources of Innovative Opportunity
New knowledge
New hardware paradigms
New software paradigms & proprietary algorithms
The unexpected
Process need
Changes in industry or market structure
Demographics
Incongruities
Changes in perception, mood, or meaning.
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II. Focus and Objectives ó Defining and Planning the Business
An Equation for Entrepreneurial Success
Silver's Law of Venture Capital
The Entrepreneurial Spirit
What is entrepreneurship?
Focus and Objectives
Dimensions of focus: technology and market
Dangers of too diffuse a focus
A lesson in defining objectives
Self Knowledge
Competitive Edge
Varieties of competitive edge
Distinctive Competence
Examples of distinctive competence
Proprietary Technology
Examples
Barriers to Entry
Varieties of barriers to entry
Saturated distribution channels
How to combat barriers to entry
Other Sources of Competitive Edge
The Business Plan
Substance of a typical plan
Executive summary
Concept and objectives
The market
The product and the technology
Marketing and sales strategy
Competition and competitive edge
The company
Financial forecasts and projections
Investment proposal
Possible appendices
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III. Opportunity and Timing ó Market and Product Planning
Market Definition
Criteria for well chosen markets
Examples of well chosen markets
Characteristics of poorly chosen markets
Examples of poorly chosen markets
Customer Identification and Characterization
Dimensions characterizing customers
Market Segmentation and Sizing
Market segmentation: multimedia titles
Market sizing: the U.S. K-12 school marketplace
Market sizing: the U.S. K-12 school marketplace
Market sizing: tax packages for accountants
Market segmentation exercise: the Internet marketplace
Competitive Analysis and Product Differentiation
Competitive analysis
Examples of product positioning
Product differentiation via a positioning diagram
Market Niche
Characteristics of market niches
Examples of market niches
Market Share
Advantages associated with market share
Market Window
Examples of market windows
Business Redefinition and Corporate Agility
Examples of business redefinition
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The business plan
Proprietary Technology and Capability
Proprietary Technology and Capability
Proprietary Technology and Capability
Proprietary Technology and Capability
Proprietary Technology and Capability
Proprietary Technology and Capability
Marketing and Distribution
Marketing and Distribution
Marketing and Distribution
Marketing and Distribution
Marketing and Distribution
Marketing and Distribution
Cash
Cash
Cash
Leadership and Management
Leadership and Management
Leadership and Management
Partnerships
Course Wrapup
8 themes
21 key principles for success
21 key principles for success (cont.)
Good books to read
More books to read
And even more books
And, finally...
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