Answer to Question #71741 in Macroeconomics for Kerolos

Question

A prime example of the negatives effectives of "Path Dependency" is the QWERTY keyboard layout, which persists in usage despite there being far more efficient ways to organize a keyboard. Path Dependency can also be used to maintain a sustainable competitive advantage. Identify a firm and product, other than Apple, that has used path dependency to its advantage and discuss how this was accomplished.

Use Microsoft as the company.

Answer 1

Path dependence theory was originally developed by economists to explain technology adoption processes and industry evolution.
In the computer and software markets, legacy systems indicate path dependence: customers' needs in the present market often include the ability to read data or run programs from past generations of products. Thus, for instance, a customer may need not merely the best available word processor, but rather the best available word processor that can read Microsoft Word files. Such limitations in compatibility contribute to lock-in, and more subtly, to design compromises for independently developed products, if they attempt to be compatible.
Reference:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Path_dependence#Economics