Modes of governance of new service development for mobile networks. A life cycle perspective

This paper focuses on governance modes for service development of mobile telephone networks (GSM, WAP, GPRS, UMTS). ‘Services’ refer to services embodying a specific content. The paper shows that the phase of the life cycle of the network and the service affects the choice of governance mode of new service development projects. Governance modes include internal development by the telecom operator, several forms of collaboration between telecom operator and service firm, and only providing a network by the telecom operator to the service firm, which then develops and provides its services (external). In this paper a model is developed for the governance mode of service development in different phases of the life cycles of the mobile network and service, based on the degrees of uncertainty and urgency involved in the network and service development processes. Four cases are presented of service development projects for mobile telecom networks. These cases indicate that the number of redesigns and the level of communication costs in collaboration projects indeed depend on the degree of urgency and uncertainty involved in these projects, which are in turn affected by the life cycle of the network and service. 5001-6182 Business 5546-5548.6 Office Organization and Management Library of Congress Classification (LCC) HD 30.28 Strategic management M Business Administration and Business Economics M 10 L 2 Business Administration: general Firm Objectives, Organization and Behaviour Journal of Economic Literature (JEL) L 1 Firm strategy 85 A Business General 100B 240 B Organization Theory (general) Information Systems Management European Business Schools Library Group (EBSLG) 270 Strategic management Gemeenschappelijke Onderwerpsontsluiting (GOO) 85.00 Bedrijfskunde, Organisatiekunde: algemeen 85.05 85.08 Management organisatie: algemeen Organisatiesociologie, organisatiepsychologie Classification GOO 85.10 Strategisch beleid Bedrijfskunde / Bedrijfseconomie Organisatieleer, informatietechnologie, prestatiebeoordeling