More from these Authors

• Working Paper | HBS Working Paper Series | 2013

  Hidden Structure: Using Network Methods to Map System Architecture

  Carliss Y. Baldwin, Alan MacCormack and John Rusnak

  In this paper, we describe an operational methodology for characterising the architecture of technical systems and demonstrate its application to a large sample of software releases. Our methodology is based upon network graphs, and allows us to identify define three fundamental architectural patterns, which we call core-periphery, multi-core, and hierarchical. We apply our methodology to a sample of 1,286 software releases from 17 applications, and find that 70 – 80% of these systems possess a "core-periphery" architecture under our classification scheme. This type of architecture is characterized by having a single dominant cyclic group (the Core) that is large relative to other cyclic groups and above a threshold with respect to system size. We find that the size of the Core varies widely, even for systems that perform the same function. These differences appear to be associated with different models of development—open, distributed organizations tend to develop systems with smaller Cores, while closed collocated organizations tend to develop systems with larger Cores. Our findings represent a first step in establishing some "stylized facts" about the fine-grained structure of large, real-world technical systems.

  Citation:

  Baldwin, Carliss Y., Alan MacCormack, and John Rusnak. "Hidden Structure: Using Network Methods to Map System Architecture." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 13–093, May 2013.

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• Supplement | HBS Case Collection | 2013

  The Congressional Oversight Panel's Valuation of the TARP Warrants (A) (CW)

  Carliss Y. Baldwin

  Citation:

  Baldwin, Carliss Y. "The Congressional Oversight Panel's Valuation of the TARP Warrants (A) (CW)." Harvard Business School Spreadsheet Supplement 213-704, April 2013.

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• Case | HBS Case Collection | 2013 (Revised from original 2012 version)

  Paul Thomson: Walker Insurance

  Michael Roberts, Jim Sharpe and Sonia Nagala Change

  Having just acquired Walker Insurance, Paul Thomson finds himself short of funds to support his original turnaround plan. He can request additional cash from his investor group, hunker down and grow at a slower rate or consider a proposal to buy his business. He has taken steps to re-virtualize the company and is challenged to build a salesforce to grow the business.

  Keywords: crisis management; Acquisitions; Search Funds; entrepreneurial management; entrepreneurs; entrepreneurship; Insurance; turnarounds; boards of directors; sales force management; Entrepreneurship; Insurance Industry; Florida;

  Citation:

  Roberts, Michael, Jim Sharpe, and Sonia Nagala Change. "Paul Thomson: Walker Insurance." Harvard Business School Case 813-057, April 2013. (Revised from original August 2012 version.)

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