>>My understanding of capitalism (remember: I'm a technoweenie, not an
>>economist or political "scientist") is that whoever builds the best
>>product for the lowest price "should" win. In reality, there's an
>>entire field called "corporate strategy" which is all about how to
>>win through other aspects of the system: locking up distribution
>>channels, building switching costs, tying competitors up in court
>>until they go out of business, buying up patents for substitute
>>products, etc.
I think you missed the most important element - the customer. To
persuade a customer to purchase a product is done by marketing. You can
have the best product in the world and without marketing you cannot sell
it. You can therefore forget all your corporate strategies until your
marketing is sorted out.
Robin Brooker
Freelance Computer Journalist
redbreast@cix.compulink.co.uk