Traditionally, the first firm to commercialize a new technology has benefited from the unique opportunity to shape product definitions, forcing followers to adapt to a standard or invest in an unproven alternative. Today, however, the largest payoffs may go to companies that lead in developing integrated approaches for successful mass production and distribution.

Producers of the Beta format for videocassette recorders (VCRs), for example, were first to develop the VCR commercially in 1975, but producers of the rival VHS (Video Home System) format proved to be more successful at forming strategic alliances with other producers and distributors to manufacture and market their VCR format. Seeking to maintain exclusive control over VCR distribution, Beta producers were reluctant to form such alliances and eventually lost ground to VHS in the competition for the global VCR market.

Despite Beta's substantial technological head start and the fact that VHS was neither technically better nor cheaper than Beta, developers of VHS quickly turned a slight early lead in sales into a dominant position. Strategic alignments with producers of prerecorded tapes reinforced the VHS advantage. The perception among consumers that prerecorded tapes were more available in VHS format further expanded VHS's share of the market. By the end of the 1980s, Beta was no longer in production.


According to the passage, today's successful firms, unlike successful firms in the past, may earn the greatest profits by


investing in research to produce cheaper versions of existing technology

being the first to market a competing technology

adapting rapidly to a technological standard previously set by a competing firm

establishing technological leadership in order to shape product definitions in advance of competing firms

emphasizing the development of methods for the mass production and distribution of a new technology

考题讲解

此讲解的内容由AI生成,还未经人工审阅,仅供参考。

正确答案是 E. 强调开发新技术的大规模生产和分销方法。根据原文,与传统的做法不同,今天可能最大的回报来自于那些在成功的大规模生产和分销方法的开发方面处于领先地位的公司。由于 Beta 生产商不愿意建立这样的联盟,他们最终在 VHS 与全球 VCR 市场的竞争中失去了地位。因此,E 选项最能概括文章的主要论点,即强调开发用于大规模生产和分销新技术的方法可能带来最大的收益。

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