Success factors for technology integration convergence collaborations: Empirical assessment

Abstract

Convergence is a popular term in business environment and especially frequently used in relation to technology integration in ICT industry. Recent advances in electronics, digitalization of media, de-regulation of markets and changes in consumer preferences have led technologies and markets that previously followed distinct trajectories to overlap and merge. As a result, number of product features grows, technology base of the companies becomes more diverse, products enter adjacent markets, and markets are enlarging. To adapt to new technologies and cope with the obsolence of current capabilities, companies are forced to acquire new competencies by means of inter-company collaborations. Dynamic environment affected by convergent technologies has specific implications for managing technology collaborations, and factors determining partnering success are different from other environments. In this paper, first, we review definitions and implications of convergence in existing literature in relation to its success factors. Secondly, we select technology integration convergence type for empirical analysis. Thirdly, we outline the list of technology collaboration success factors and conduct a survey in a multinational ICT company and among its partners to rate and define the most important success factors for technology integration convergence type. Finally, we provide managerial implications for technology management in technology integration convergence environment.