Path dependency
The theory of path dependency explains why decisions regarding technological developments are based on a chain of unintended events made in history (pfadperspektive 3). David introduced the theory with his article “Clio and the economic of qwerty” (year XXX) in which he describes how the layout of a typewriter keyboard was manifested through several different key events in its early stages of existing. With his article, he introduced a new perspective on technological innovations happened in the past. The technologies used in the market today don’t need to be necessarily the most efficient once. That being said, he describes a model that allows inefficient innovations to be acknowledged as the market equilibrium (pfadperspektive …show more content…
For example, take two operation softwares and compare their connection to their surroundings. On the one hand, Bill Gates’ Microsoft with its Windows system. Although not being the first operating systems with a graphical user interface it replaced the MS-DOS systems used in businesses in the US. Through different updates and new releases, Windows improved their user friendliness and enabled a wider range of people to work with a computer. Due to the compatibility with other software, several gaming software producer jumped on the bandwagon and made their products available on Windows. Eventually, the personal computer for all different kinds of people was born. On the other hand, take Apple’s operating system during this time. Although Apple was the first company that successfully sold a graphical user interface with their computers, they lacked in user friendliness as well as in compatibility with other producers. The technical interrelatedness shows that through a bigger compatibility with its surrounding, Mircosoft’s operating system prevailed Apple’s. In the following years, Windows was the ne plus ultra and made it hard for other operating systems to establish in the
The theory of path dependency explains why decisions regarding technological developments are based on a chain of unintended events made in history (pfadperspektive 3). David introduced the theory with his article “Clio and the economic of qwerty” (year XXX) in which he describes how the layout of a typewriter keyboard was manifested through several different key events in its early stages of existing. With his article, he introduced a new perspective on technological innovations happened in the past. The technologies used in the market today don’t need to be necessarily the most efficient once. That being said, he describes a model that allows inefficient innovations to be acknowledged as the market equilibrium (pfadperspektive …show more content…
For example, take two operation softwares and compare their connection to their surroundings. On the one hand, Bill Gates’ Microsoft with its Windows system. Although not being the first operating systems with a graphical user interface it replaced the MS-DOS systems used in businesses in the US. Through different updates and new releases, Windows improved their user friendliness and enabled a wider range of people to work with a computer. Due to the compatibility with other software, several gaming software producer jumped on the bandwagon and made their products available on Windows. Eventually, the personal computer for all different kinds of people was born. On the other hand, take Apple’s operating system during this time. Although Apple was the first company that successfully sold a graphical user interface with their computers, they lacked in user friendliness as well as in compatibility with other producers. The technical interrelatedness shows that through a bigger compatibility with its surrounding, Mircosoft’s operating system prevailed Apple’s. In the following years, Windows was the ne plus ultra and made it hard for other operating systems to establish in the