Managing the Digital Enterprise | Case Study | Dell Computer (print version)

CASE STUDY: DELL COMPUTER

About Dell Computer

Dell Computer is a premier provider of products and services required for customers worldwide to build their information-technology and Internet infrastructures. Company revenue for the past year totaled $57 billion. Dell, through its direct business model, designs, manufactures and customizes products and services to customer requirements, and offers an extensive selection of software and peripherals. [Source: Dell Computer Corporation, April 2007]

Things to read:

About Dell Computer
Direct Business Model
Dell Financial History
The Dell Curve by Michael Schrage
Dell's new focus: Don't look back and Dell outlines turnaround plans for employees by Tom Krazit
Dell Computer: Organization of a Global Production Network by Kenneth Kraemer and Jason Dedrick
Dell Computer: Using E-commerce To Support the Virtual Company by Kenneth Kraemer and Jason Dedrick
Case Study: Dell.com by James Maguire

Questions to consider:

What is the "direct business model"?
What new business opportunities does the direct model afford Dell, which would not otherwise be possible?

Selected registered trademarks:

DELL ®
THE POWER OF TWO
CONNECTDIRECT
Search real-time for U.S. trademarks.

Selected patents:

6,321,262 -- System and method for identification and streamlined access to online services.
6,167,383 -- Method and apparatus for providing customer configured machines at an internet site.
6,038,597 -- Method and apparatus for providing and accessing data at an internet site.
5,894,571 -- Process for configuring software in a build-to-order computer system
Search real-time for new U.S. patents granted to Dell on its patent web site.