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
- Dell Financial History
- Direct Business Model
- Dell’s new focus: Don’t look back and Dell outlines turnaround plans for employees by Tom Krazit
- The Dell Curve by Michael Schrage
- 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 are the strengths and limitations of the direct model?
- What new business opportunities does the direct model afford Dell, which would not otherwise be possible?
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
Selected trademark applications and registrations:
- 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.