IT and Telecom
Open Options’ unique process and proprietary game theory software have helped guide senior executives at major corporations in the IT and telecommunications industries for over a decade. Due to the rapidly evolving and highly competitive nature of these industries, it is particularly important to consider the interplay of all key players when making critical decisions. Given these inter-connectivities and the fast pace of change, the Open Options Process is ideally suited to find innovative solutions.
What Does Open Options Do?
- We challenge executives to stretch their thinking and to look at issues differently by explicitly considering the perspectives and motivations of the critical parties involved in the issue
- We provide an effective, structured process to capture organizational knowledge
- We analyze that structured knowledge using proprietary game theory tools to explore the potential competitive strategies and the millions of ways the issue could play out
- We provide a practical action plan to reach the best attainable outcome for our client
- We build deep management consensus and trust on the best path forward
Our Process
Our efficient process consists of five steps:
- Define the Issue
- Harvest Organizational Knowledge
- Determine Players, Options and Preferences
- Reveal Insights with Game Theory Analysis
- Deliver a Trusted Decision and Action Plan
Our Experience
We have worked with some of the biggest names in software, information technology and telecommunications around the globe, on projects spanning the following application areas:
- Strategic alliances and international JVs
- Rapidly evolving markets
- Product licensing
- Patent wars and intellectual property strategy
- New market entry
- Product portfolio management
- Commoditization and pricing strategy
- Dealing with a dominant competitor
- Dealing with a powerful customer
- Parts sourcing and supplier management
- Distribution networks
- International trade disputes
- Spectrum auctions
- Long range corporate strategy development
- R&D planning
- Infrastructure development
- Effects of competitor vertical integration
Related Clients
Case Study Descriptions
Below is a selected list of some of our success stories in the software and information technology sectors. Please contact us to learn more about our process and to review a relevant case study:
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Dealing with Disruptive Technology – “Leading from Behind” Show more
This is a very unusual case study because Open Options can reveal the identity of our client - IBM - who has given Open Options permission to reveal details of the work that we did with them in relation to their strategy on dealing with the emergence of Linux several years ago. At the time, IBM saw Linux as a technology in which they had to have a strong presence. IBM faced lots of competition, a rapidly evolving technology market, a significantly different culture as compared with IBM’s traditional businesses, competing versions of similar technology, and uncertainty as to whether Linux would actually ever be widely adopted. Open Options helped IBM recognize that their path to success lay in strategic actions that were not in line with IBM’s typical way of acting, and the result was a successful outcome.
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Industry Consolidation – “Feeding Frenzy” Show more
A large technology company was facing a rapidly evolving market. Large, well-capitalized companies were making significant strategic investments to shape the industry and several smaller, weaker players were consolidating or being acquired. All this was happening in the context of current weak sales and an expected technological shift in the following two years.
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Strategic Alliances – “Renewing the Vows” Show more
A joint venture, involving technology licensing and revenue sharing contracts, was coming up for renewal between an American company and a foreign competitor. Relationships were strained and the foreign competitor was aggressively pursuing control while the JV wanted greater autonomy.
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IP Licensing – “Standing Amongst Giants” Show more
A small technology firm owned powerful intellectual property that entitled them to royalties from several companies. However, these licensees were pursuing legal action to delay paying these royalties. Analysis uncovered a significant danger for the small firm – it was at risk of being bought by the other companies to avoid paying the royalties – and the technology company needed to act boldly to precipitate a preferable legal settlement.
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Expansion Strategy – “The Sacrificial Lamb” Show more
A large telecommunications company was looking to expand its wireless business into several new regional markets. However, competitive actions had surprised the client in the past and the future seemed uncertain. The analysis showed a unique opportunity in which the client could sacrifice entering one of its intended markets to preserve high profits in the other new regions.
What Makes Us Unique
As experts and specialists in solving business issues where multiple players can influence the final outcome, Open Options is unique in several ways:
