The age of digital convergence in which the computer, the telephone and the television no longer distinct product with separate function-is upon us. Whether at home, at the office, or in the classroom, we increasingly communicate, learn, and enjoy entertainment using video-on-demand, interactive television, the internet, personal digital assistants, and more. The uniting of these powerful industries offers unprecedented opportunities and just as many chances for failure.
The essays in this important collection examine the consequences of digital convergence on the participating companies and industries, their internal capabilities, the products and services they produce, and the way they compete. In the process, the authors reveal that the key to success for companies in the new environment will not be to engineer big technological breakthroughs or to execute grand acquisition. Instead, the winner will be those companies that develop innovative products and services by creatively combining existing technologies with new managerial approaches.