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Case Study

Connecting the world: From AT&T to Zoom (Mini case)

By Knut Bjarne Haanaes, Lisa Simone Duke and Øystein D. Fjeldstad

4 pages

May 2020

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Reference: IMD-7-2200

This case starts by looking at AT&T a giant in the telecommunications world and then how it was broken up through anti-trust regulations. Despite that, AT&T is today the world’s largest telecommunications company, although it was widely recognized as having missed the boat on leveraging OTT opportunities. The case then moves to Zoom, which, in part thanks to COVID-19, has exponentially grown and stands to potentially become a threat to various platforms. However, by late spring 2020 other platforms such as Google and Facebook were challenging Zoom with free offerings. The case ends asking what should Zoom’s founder, Yuan do to avoid missing the boat like AT&T and being out competed by larger integrated platforms?

Learning Objective

This case is part of a mini-case series “Reshaping Industries – Embracing the New Normal Mini Case Series“.
Learning objectives focus on business models and how these can threaten or become threatened quickly with the rise in technology.
In this case, how AT&T was broken up but resurged although is today threatened again. How Zoom, in contrast, has risen as a result of leveraging an opportunity but how can it remain competitive in the threat of larger integrated competitors?

Keywords

Strategy, Telecommunication, Digital, Communication, Business Model, Competition, COVID-19

Settings

World/global
At and T, Zoom, Services, Telecommunications
1982 to 2020

Type

Published Sources

Available Languages

English

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This case study is part of a series

Connecting the world: From AT&T to Zoom (Mini case)
From the Model T to the Tesla Y to “what” now? (Mini case)
Platforms everywhere: GE vs. Haier (Mini case)
Wachtell vs. Watson: The future of professional services (Mini case)

This case study is part of a series

Connecting the world: From AT&T to Zoom (Mini case)
From the Model T to the Tesla Y to “what” now? (Mini case)
Platforms everywhere: GE vs. Haier (Mini case)
Wachtell vs. Watson: The future of professional services (Mini case)

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