Source of the Dynamics of Cospecialization in the US PC Industry Ecosystem, 1970s–1990s

Kenichi Miyata () and Daisuke Watanabe ()
Additional contact information
Kenichi Miyata: Meiji University, School of Business Administration

Chapter Chapter 14 in Strategic Management and Innovation Strategies, 2025, pp 353-380 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract Product architecture and architectural capabilities are key components of dynamic capabilities. However, their precise roles in shaping competitive advantage remain unclear. This chapter examines the evolution of product architecture in the US personal computer industry through a comparative analysis of Intel-line PCs and Apple-line PCs. By tracing software, firmware, and hardware developments from the 1970s to 1990s, this study reveals how firms leveraged distinct architectural capabilities to adapt to technological shifts and market demands. Microsoft drove open modularization by strengthening software standardization through combinative capabilities. Conversely, Apple employed integrative capabilities to construct closed modular systems with distinctive interfaces. A key finding is the critical role of firmware in bridging hardware and software, influencing architectural direction. Additionally, this analysis also highlights how cospecialization functioned as a competitive advantage. As modularization enabled low-cost industry assets, companies like Apple and Microsoft adapted these assets differently, fostering architectural diversity. This interfirm competition generated a nexus of dynamic capabilities at the ecosystem level, suggesting that industry leadership emerged not from a single firm, but through the collective interplay of diverse architectural strengths. These findings provide valuable insights into the foundations of innovation and competitiveness in digital product industries.

Keywords: Product innovation; Architectural capabilities; Modularity; Closedness; Nexus of dynamic capabilities; Competition (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

There are no downloads for this item, see the EconPapers FAQ for hints about obtaining it.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:sprchp:978-981-96-8437-3_14

Ordering information: This item can be ordered from
http://www.springer.com/9789819684373

DOI: 10.1007/978-981-96-8437-3_14

Access Statistics for this chapter

More chapters in Springer Books from Springer
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().