2026-09-18T22:18:44Zhttps://dspace.mit.edu/server/oai/requestoai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/476582021-07-05T14:03:20Zcom_1721.1_7582com_1721.1_7581col_1721.1_131023
Thomas W. Eagar and Donald B. Rosenfield.
Siebach, Benjamin D. (Benjamin David), 1968-
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Materials Science and Engineering
Sloan School of Management
2009-10-01T15:30:06Z
2009-10-01T15:30:06Z
1998
1998
http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/47658
42076335
Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering, and, (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management, 1998.
Includes bibliographical references (leaf 30).
Some companies use vertical integration to enter higher growth businesses and gain higher margins. Attractive business opportunities often appear just beyond one's stage in a value chain, leading companies to grasp for another stage's profits. However, the skill set one builds in a particular stage of a high tech value chain is often not portable to another stage in the same chain, offering a potential pitfall to those who seek to vertically integrate. This thesis explores the experience of one company's efforts to integrate vertically to capture profits enjoyed by their customers. Through a lack of appreciation for the complexity of the downstream manufacturing operations and a lack of portable competence, the firm failed to gain the hoped for revenues. Additionally, by focusing on new businesses, this company also lost some of the competence they had in their traditional business.
by Benjamin D. Siebach.
S.M.
30 leaves
eng
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
M.I.T. theses are protected by
copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but
reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written
permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.
http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582
Materials Science and Engineering
Sloan School of Management
Vertical integration and the portability of skill sets in high tech industries
Thesis
application/pdf
false
Publication
unknown
unknown
<Publication xmlns="https://www.openaire.eu/cerif-profile/1.1/" id="f6893806-5a52-4e52-b174-af90295ba6b2">
<Type xmlns="https://www.openaire.eu/cerif-profile/vocab/COAR_Publication_Types">http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_1843</Type>
<Language>eng</Language>
<Title>Vertical integration and the portability of skill sets in high tech industries</Title>
<PublishedIn>
<Publication>
</Publication>
</PublishedIn>
<PublicationDate>1998</PublicationDate>
<Authors>
<Author>
<DisplayName>Siebach, Benjamin D. (Benjamin David), 1968-</DisplayName>
<Affiliation>
<OrgUnit>
</OrgUnit>
</Affiliation>
</Author>
</Authors>
<Editors>
</Editors>
<Publishers>
<Publisher>
<DisplayName>Massachusetts Institute of Technology</DisplayName>
<OrgUnit />
</Publisher>
</Publishers>
<License>http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582</License>
<Keyword>Materials Science and Engineering</Keyword>
<Keyword>Sloan School of Management</Keyword>
<Abstract>Some companies use vertical integration to enter higher growth businesses and gain higher margins. Attractive business opportunities often appear just beyond one's stage in a value chain, leading companies to grasp for another stage's profits. However, the skill set one builds in a particular stage of a high tech value chain is often not portable to another stage in the same chain, offering a potential pitfall to those who seek to vertically integrate. This thesis explores the experience of one company's efforts to integrate vertically to capture profits enjoyed by their customers. Through a lack of appreciation for the complexity of the downstream manufacturing operations and a lack of portable competence, the firm failed to gain the hoped for revenues. Additionally, by focusing on new businesses, this company also lost some of the competence they had in their traditional business.</Abstract>
<Access xmlns="http://purl.org/coar/access_right"
>
</Access>
</Publication>