William R. Boulton

Why Western vendors don't dominate China's ERP market

Examining cases of failed ERP system implementation in China and explaining the unique circumstances.

Obtaining Industry Control: The Case of the Pharmaceutical Distribution Industry

In most industries, distributors have lost considerable power and position to large retailers who purchase directly from manufacturers. In contrast, U.S. pharmaceutical wholesalers have gained over 75 percent of the pharmaceutical prescription market during a time when consolidation is paramount in the health care industry. This article shows how niche and differentiation strategies have been used successfully by six industry contenders to achieve this level of dominance.

Strategies for Change in the Service Sector: The Global Telecommunications Industry

Four key forces—technological change, changes in market demand, deregulation, and globalization—are affecting and changing the structure of the service industries. The forces can be illustrated by using the telecommunications services industry. This article examines and analyzes four major firms: British Telecom in the United Kingdom, DBP TELEKOM in Germany, NTT in Japan, and BellSouth in the United States. These companies are changing their strategies and their structures to deal with current changes in the industry and to prepare for how the industry may evolve over the next ten years. Such changes will have a major impact on the future development of global services industries.

Technology Development Strategies in Japan, Europe, and the United States

Technological competitiveness is a major concern for todays industrialized countries. In this paper, the technology development strategies of Japan, Europe (EEC) and the United States are compared and contrasted. Each national strategy is described including the key players, and examples of industries and technologies that have been targeted or influenced by these systems. Finally, some overall conclusions and implications of these systems for the future development of global competition are drawn.

The alternative classification scheme in the Asian context

This paper essentially shows how a recently‐developed model called the alternative classification scheme (ACS) may be used in the context of the newly‐industrializing economies (NIEs) of the Asia‐Pacific region, possibly the most rapidly‐rising players in the world economy. After nearly a decade of research into Asian economic development strategies, the authors consider future development alternatives. Using the ACS, the authors broadly categorize the range of available strategic alternatives that will drive the NIEs’ development strategies, and discuss the results of such application.