Professors Erik Brynjolfsson, Marshall Van Alstyne and Geoffrey Parker Sponsor: Haier
The first objective will be to undertake a “platform maturity” review. This will address the following questions – how are (a) current technological, (b) economic (incentives), and (c) organizational strategies aligned with a platform strategy? An important output from the review will be to provide guidance on linking platforms across white goods, electronics, and the connected home ecosystems. The second objective, based on the maturity review, will be to suggest developer strategies to assist with innovation. How can Haier open a platform? How can Haier entice developers and 3rd parties to contribute to their platform? How can Haier innovate at a faster pace using a platform strategy?