Moore's Law: Fast, Cheap Computing and What It Means for the Manager
Introduction
Questions and Exercises
- What is Moore's Law? What does it apply to?
- Are other aspects of computing advancing as well? At what rates?
- What is a microprocessor? What devices do you or
your family own that contain microprocessors (and hence are impacted by
Moore's Law)?
- What is a semiconductor? What is the substance from which most semiconductors are made?
- How does flash memory differ from the memory in a PC? Are both solid state?
- Which of the following are solid state devices: an iPod shuffle, a TiVo DVR, a typical laptop PC?
- Why is Moore's Law important for managers? How does it influence managerial thinking?
- What is price elasticity? How does Moore's Law
relate to this concept? What's special about falling chip prices
compared to price drops for products like clothing or food?
- Give examples of firms that have effectively leveraged the advancement of processing, storage, and networking technology.
- What are the five waves of computing? Give examples of firms and industries impacted by the fifth wave.
- As Moore's Law advances, technology becomes
increasingly accessible to the poor. Give examples of how tech has
benefited those who likely would not have been able to afford the
technology of a prior generation.
- How have cheaper, faster chips impacted the camera
industry? Give an example of the leadership shifts that have occurred in
this industry.
- What has been the impact of "faster, cheaper" on Apple's business lines?
- How did Amazon utilize the steep decline in magnetic storage costs to its advantage?
- How does Moore's Law impact production and inventory decisions?