Difference between revisions of "Convergence of Telecommunication, Media & entertainment and Information technology"

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* [S. Demircioglu] 1998 The WAP 1.0 standard was released and described a complete software stack for mobile internet access [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireless_Application_Protocol]]
* [S. Demircioglu] 1998 The WAP 1.0 standard was released and described a complete software stack for mobile internet access [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireless_Application_Protocol]]
* [S. Demircioglu] 2003 EDGE was deployed on GSM networks [[http://http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EDGE]]
* [S. Demircioglu] 2003 EDGE was deployed on GSM networks [[http://http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EDGE]]
* [S. Demircioglu] 2006 UMTS networks in many countries have been or are in the process of being upgraded since 2006 [[http://http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umts]]
* 2001 AOL and Time Warner merge to become AOL Time Warner [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AOL source: wikipedia]]
* 2001 AOL and Time Warner merge to become AOL Time Warner [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AOL source: wikipedia]]
* 2008 Time Warner announced plans to spinn off AOL as a seperate company [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AOL source: wikipedia]]
* 2008 Time Warner announced plans to spinn off AOL as a seperate company [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AOL source: wikipedia]]

Revision as of 13:06, 18 September 2009

!!!!! PLEASE NOTE: This page is being edited by Daniel Peters EMBA09. In case of any questions/remarks contact me.

Description

Dictionary Definition

The Concise Oxford English Dictionary defines the word Converge as “come together from different directions so as eventually to meet”. There is no explicit common accepted definition of convergence in the economic academic literature. Adapting the dictionary definition to economic terminology would yield something like “merging of markets”. Van Dale, the accepted Dutch dictionary, defines convergence as "samenkomst in een punt", or "coming together in a point".


Technological Convergence

Wikipedia defines technological convergence as follows: "the tendency for different technological systems to evolve towards performing similar tasks"[1]. The term convergence is commonly used in reference to the synergistic combination of voice (and telephony features), data (and productivity applications) and video onto a single network. These previously separate technologies are now able to share resources and interact with each other creating new efficiencies.[1]


Historical Definition

A working definition, derived from term usage in management practice, would be something like “a confluence and merging of hitherto separated markets, removing entry barriers across the market and industry boundaries”. The popular image used to illustrate this convergence Jonas Lind Page 4 2004-05-08 was three or four circles gradually moving into each other (e.g. Negroponte cited in Brand 1987 and Wirtz 2001). They usually represent IT, telecom, media and consumer electronics. The four industries were expected to merge into one big blob “the converging industries”. The consequence of this merging would be the breakdown of existing industry barriers and heavier competition between the players in previously seperate industries (figure below) [2].


ThePopularImageOfConvergence.jpg


In Retail: Convergence is fast becoming the hot issue in the retail sector. Companies are striving to determine how best to exploit the latest technology to create a multi-channel offering, enabling them to reach and transact with customers in a variety of ways, including stores, mail order, e-commerce, interactive television and mobile technology. The need to establish an integrated and “future-proof” technological architecture, with a common sales platform into which all retail channels feed, will be vital to success in the new world of “ubiquitous commerce”.[3]

In media: Convergence of media occurs when multiple products come together to form one product with the advantages of all of them. For example, the PlayStation 2 is not only a games console, but also a CD player, DVD player and Internet connector. Mobile phones are another good example, in that they increasingly incorporate digital cameras, mp3 players, camcorders, voice recorders, and other devices. [4]

On the web: Convergence of Telecommunication, Media & Entertainment and Technology has turned the internet into a multi-functional platform.

Enablers

Inhibitors

  • Divergence: from a business perspective, converging companies offer a broader and broader product/service and can have difficulty competing with more focused niche players
  • Consumer demands: extending the point above, consumers may opt for specific products/services, not the generics created by large, converged companies.
  • Legal issues: governments may object to far-reaching convergence as it creates strong power blockls/monopolies. The EU case against Microsoft is a good example.

Paradigms

Through the convergence of telecommunications, media & entertainment and IT, the way in which consumers experience (home) entertainment will change from 'push' to 'pull' or from 'availability based' to 'on demand'. People will be able to access the content (digital text, audio, video, ...) where and whenever they want it.

Smart, (in-home) applications will propose relevant content in real-time to users based on their activities and preferences. For example: a jogger coming home from a run in the park will connect her heartrate monitor to her PC which will detect the level of exertion she went through during the run and will then start playing an appropriate cooling down instruction video with stretching exercises.

Technological convergence will affect not only technological developments and solutions but it will move beyond its technological nature towards markets, industries and corporations. It will shift and/or remove barriers between markets and industries. This will result in an increasing trend of mergers and acquisitions among corporations within the computer, telecom, consumer electronics and media related industries. Eventually, only a few market players will dominate and lead the way in this converged industry of computer, telecom, consumer electronics and media related solutions.

Experts

  • Media conglomerates (Time Warner, Telefonica, New York Times, Google, Yahoo, Microsoft, McGraw-Hill Companies, Elsevier, DreamWorks)
  • Technology providers (Cisco, Intel, Vodafone, Sony, Nokia, Motorola, Samsung, IBM, Ericsson )
  • Wireless @KTH

Timing

  • 1918 Warner Bros founded [source: wikipedia]
  • 1983 AOL founded (as Computer Services Company) [source: wikipedia]
  • 1990 Warner Merges with Time to become Time Warner [source: wikipedia]
  • [S. Demircioglu] 1998 The WAP 1.0 standard was released and described a complete software stack for mobile internet access [[1]]
  • [S. Demircioglu] 2003 EDGE was deployed on GSM networks [[2]]
  • [S. Demircioglu] 2006 UMTS networks in many countries have been or are in the process of being upgraded since 2006 [[3]]
  • 2001 AOL and Time Warner merge to become AOL Time Warner [source: wikipedia]
  • 2008 Time Warner announced plans to spinn off AOL as a seperate company [source: wikipedia]

Web Resources

  1. Wikipedia Technological Covergence
  2. Wireless@KTH
  3. Economist
  4. Wikipedia Media Covergence
  5. Knowledge@Wharton Managing Technology - The 2006 Gadget Parade: A New Era of Convergence and Convenience
  6. Wireless@KTH