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The Pennsylvania State University the Graduate School College Of The Pennsylvania State University The Graduate School College of Information Sciences and Technology THE IMPACT OF PLATFORM CERTIFICATION ON A PLATFORM-BASED PRODUCT MARKET: THE CASE OF MOBILE APPLICATIONS A Dissertation in Information Sciences and Technology by Ankur Tarnacha Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy May 2008 The dissertation of Ankur Tarnacha was reviewed and approved* by the following: Carleen F. Maitland Assistant Professor of Information Sciences and Technology Dissertation Advisor Chair of Committee Steven B. Sawyer Associate Professor of Information Sciences and Technology Irene J. Petrick Professor of Practice of Information Sciences and Technology Thomas F. LaPorta Distinguished Professor of Computer Sciences and Engineering John Yen Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Programs Head of the Department of Information Sciences and Technology *Signatures are on file in the Graduate School iii ABSTRACT Complex Information and Communication technology (ICT) systems operating in diverse environments rely on technology platforms to ensure scalable product development and compatibility across the components that make up these systems. Recent times have witnessed an increasing use of certification programs that seek to evaluate the reliability and compatibility of platform-based products. While various studies have focused on the phenomenon of certification, the evolution and diffusion of platforms, and the influence of certification and platforms on industry structure per se; to date little is known about platform certification programs and their implications for firms that supply platform-based products. To address these gaps, this study examines platform certification by conceptualizing it as a market regulatory mechanism that is expected to influence the dynamics of the platform-based product market. In particular, the study investigates certification programs for mobile computing platforms and evaluates their implications for the mobile applications/software market. The study employs a multiple-case study design to explore three platform certification programs – Symbian Signed, Java Verified, and True BREW – and qualitatively assess their influences on the firms in the mobile applications market. The cases are analyzed using a conceptual framework that relates key attributes of platform certification systems, namely certification authority structure, imposed certification constraints, and perceived certification benefits, to their implications for vertical product compatibility and market entry barriers. The study finds that platform certification systems can influence their platform- based product market through at least two mechanisms. First, the research suggests that the ways in which a certification program is managed (control structure), increases iv vertical product compatibility. Second, the degree to which certifications are a pre- requisite to market participation (coerciveness) and the level of accommodations made by the certification program to application developer needs (flexibility), influence the level of market entry barriers. The study extends the literature on certification by providing a conceptual framework for understanding platform certifications and assessing their impact on market development, structure, and competition. In addition, the study contributes to practice by highlighting various technical and business barriers, issues, and recommendations for effective development, deployment, and distribution of mobile applications that can potentially assist software vendors in supplying innovative and cost-effective mobile applications. v TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES ..................................................................................................... x LIST OF TABLES ....................................................................................................... xi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .......................................................................................... xii Chapter 1 Introduction ............................................................................................... 1 1.1 Research Objectives, Questions, and Scope ................................................ 4 1.2 Research Merit .............................................................................................. 7 Chapter 2 Mobile Computing Industry and Platform Certification ............................. 10 2.1 The Mobile Industry ....................................................................................... 10 2.2 The Emergence of Mobile Computing ........................................................... 12 2.2.1 Key Actors in the Mobile Computing Industry ..................................... 13 2.2.2 Value in the Mobile Computing Industry ............................................. 15 2.3 Mobile Computing Platforms and their Ecosystems ...................................... 18 2.3.1 Symbian-OS ........................................................................................ 22 2.3.1.1 The Symbian Signed Certification Program .............................. 24 2.3.2 Java ME .............................................................................................. 25 2.3.2.1 The Java Verified Certification Program ................................... 27 2.3.3 BREW ................................................................................................. 28 2.3.3.1 The TRUE BREW Certification Program ................................... 30 Chapter 3 Literature Review ..................................................................................... 32 3.1 Technology Architectures and Platforms ...................................................... 32 3.1.1 Product Platforms ................................................................................ 34 3.1.2 Computing Platforms ........................................................................... 35 3.1.3 Platforms and Business Ecosystems .................................................. 37 3.2 Certification: A Market Regulatory Mechanism ............................................. 40 3.2.1 Certification in a Supply Chain ............................................................ 41 3.2.2 Third-Party Certifications ..................................................................... 42 3.2.2.1 Process and Product Certification ............................................. 44 3.2.2.2 Standards and Software Certification ....................................... 45 3.2.3 Certification Systems .......................................................................... 46 3.3 Summary ....................................................................................................... 48 Chapter 4 Conceptual Framework ............................................................................ 50 4.1 Investigating a Platform Certification System ................................................ 51 4.1.1 Certification Authority Structure .......................................................... 53 4.1.2 Certification Constraints ...................................................................... 55 4.1.3 Certification Benefits ........................................................................... 57 4.2 Market Effects of Platform Certification System ............................................ 60 vi 4.2.1 Vertical Product Compatibility ............................................................. 61 4.2.2 Market Entry Barriers .......................................................................... 64 Chapter 5 Research Methods ................................................................................... 68 5.1 Research Approach ...................................................................................... 68 5.2 Research Procedure and Data Collection ..................................................... 72 5.2.1 Data Sources and Sampling ............................................................... 73 5.2.1.1 Primary Sources: Key Experts .................................................. 73 5.2.1.2 Primary Sources: Key Informants ............................................. 75 5.2.1.3 Secondary Sources: Developer Forums and Trade Press Archives ......................................................................................... 76 5.2.2 Research Participants ......................................................................... 78 5.2.2.1 Key Experts ............................................................................... 78 5.2.2.2 Key Informants: Mobile Application Developers........................ 79 5.3 Data Analysis ................................................................................................ 82 5.3.1 Construct Operationalization ............................................................... 83 5.3.2 Levels of Analysis ............................................................................... 86 Chapter 6 The Symbian Signed Program ................................................................. 87 6.1 Symbian-OS .................................................................................................. 88 6.1.1 Symbian-OS Architecture for Application Development and Deployment ........................................................................................... 89 6.2 The Symbian Signed Certification Program .................................................. 92 6.2.1 Certification Options ...........................................................................
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