The Software Business
This MIT Sloan seminar examines what makes software companies succeed or fail, aimed at anyone considering founding a software company, joining one as a developer or product manager, or working as an industry analyst. Sessions cover competitive strategy in software markets, pricing and licensing models, platform dynamics, intellectual property, and the economics of network effects, drawing on cases from packaged software, e-business, and embedded systems in industries like financial services and industrial automation. The course materials from MIT OpenCourseWare include the syllabus, readings list, and assignments used in the original seminar, letting you follow the same case discussions students worked through. It suits senior managers and technical staff at companies that depend heavily on software as much as it suits aspiring founders. As with all MIT OpenCourseWare offerings, the materials are free to use, with no certificate offered since this is a self-paced archive of course content rather than an instructor-led session.