Commoditization and IT Product Innovation Strategies from an IT Firm Perspective

ABSTRACT

Based on a survey (N = 248 business managers) this study confirms that different types of innovation in IT products have a direct positive impact on IT firms’ business performance. The commoditization level of IT markets acts as a moderator dampening this positive relationship. This implies that IT firms should take existing commoditization levels as well as a mix of IT product innovation types into account as part of their innovation strategy.

KEYWORDS:

• Innovation
• innovation strategies
• commoditization
• business performance
• information technology
• IT industry

Acknowledgments

We would like to show our gratitude to Harvard Professor Gary P. Pisano for his advice, guidance and comments that greatly improved the development of a new questionnaire for the Innovation Landscape Map.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jeroen Bronkhorst

Jeroen Bronkhorst is an Innovation Lead within Hewlett Packard Enterprise and has 27-plus years of experience in the IT industry. This includes in government (defense), cross-industry, and in the financial services Industry. He has worked in IT consulting, portfolio & program management, as well as strategy and innovation in both the Netherlands and internationally. He was co-author of the five core ITIL v3 books in 2007 and holds degrees in computer science (Master of Science - MSc), auditing (Executive Master of IT Auditing) as well as business administration (Master of Business Administration - MBA). More information: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeroenbronkhorst/

Jaap Schaveling

Jaap Schaveling is full professor Cooperation & Leadership at Nyenrode Business University. He teaches Cooperation on team, organization and inter-organizational level, System Thinking, Social Psychology, Organizational Dynamics and Personal and Collective Leadership. As a business coach he facilitates the management teams of various companies. His research work at this moment is about cooperation and leadership in multiparty situations, inter-team processes, and higher order skills especially system thinking. More information: https://www.nyenrode.nl/faculteit-en-onderzoek/faculteitsleden/p/jaap-schaveling

Marijn Janssen

Marijn Janssen is a full Professor in ICT & Governance and chair of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) research group of the Technology, Policy and Management Faculty of Delft University of Technology. He is Co-Editor-in-Chief of Government Information Quarterly, conference chair of IFIP EGOV series and is chairing several mini-tracks. He was ranked as one of the leading e-government researchers in surveys in 2009, 2014 and 2016, and has published over 450 refereed publications. He was nominated in 2018 by Apolitical as one of the 100 most influential people in the Digital Government https://apolitical.co/lists/digital-government-world100. More information: www.tbm.tudelft.nl/marijnj.