Key Decisions Affecting the Success of Commercialising Technology Innovations: Insights and Food for Thought from the Software Industry

Abstract The paper assesses key decisions having a significant impact on the success of commercialising technology. Taking the software industry as an example, the paper analyses the characteristics of software and its market, and presents four different key decisions. The paper implies that decisions especially concerning the product/service character, value drivers, the launch date as well as the selling strategy significantly affect the commercialisation success. Looking closer into these decisions, new models have been developed. Overall, the paper draws the conclusion that commercialising software is a complex challenge which requires a strategic and market-oriented approach. Key words key decisions, technology commercialisation, software industr