November 1997 (Revised May 2002)
Case
HBS Case Collection

MicroAge, Inc.: Orchestrating the Information Technology Value Chain

By: Lynda M. Applegate and Kirk A. Goldman

Format:Print
| Pages:37

Abstract

MicroAge, Inc. started as a storefront in Tempe, AZ in 1976 selling personal computer kits to hobbyists. During their first year of operation, founders Jeff McKeever and Alan Hald sold $1.5 million worth of computer kits, priced at under $1,000 each. Twenty years later, revenues exceeded $3.5 billion dollars, while the business evolved from a computer store to a master reseller and full-line integrator of information technology products. MicroAge continually reinvented itself and its business with an entrepreneurial spirit most companies of its size cannot enjoy. MicroAge thrives on the theory that many of its fiercest competitors can also be its best clients. This case provides an excellent vehicle for helping students understand the opportunities and risks related to electronic commerce and the Internet.

Keywords

Transformation; Growth Management; Risk Management; Product; Opportunities; Horizontal Integration; Hardware; Information Technology; Internet; Technology Industry; Arizona

Citation

Applegate, Lynda M., and Kirk A. Goldman. "MicroAge, Inc.: Orchestrating the Information Technology Value Chain." Harvard Business School Case 398-068, November 1997. (Revised May 2002.)