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  • June 2011
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CA Technologies: Bringing the Cloud to Earth

By: Marco Iansiti and Kerry Herman
  • Format:Print
  • | Pages:32
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Abstract

Adam Famularo, general manager, Cloud Computing business, CA Technologies, and David Dobson, WVP and group executive, Customer Solutions Group, were preparing for a presentation on communicating and positioning CA Technologies' new strategy for cloud computing. Analysts had voiced concern over several 2010 acquisitions, and highlighted CA Technologies' need to clearly state its strategy and objectives and identify a compelling way to position and differentiate its cloud offerings. Industry pundits claimed the mainframe- CA Technologies' bread and butter- was dead and would go away. Famularo knew CA Technologies' line of products was anything but outdated, having evolved to help enterprises manage and secure their increasingly complex IT environments. In 2010, analysts reported that CA Technologies' mainframe business was strong and accounted for over 60% of the firm's revenues and a majority of its profits, with no sign of slowing down. But given the attractiveness of CA Technologies' current mainframe and distributed business lines, how firmly would the company back the emergent cloud business? Should CA Technologies' cloud business be positioned as an incremental, complementary addition to its mainframe and client-server businesses or should it be framed as a disruptive and entirely revolutionary technology?

Keywords

Disruptive Innovation; Product Positioning; Expansion; Internet and the Web; Technology Adoption

Citation

Iansiti, Marco, and Kerry Herman. "CA Technologies: Bringing the Cloud to Earth." Harvard Business School Case 611-047, June 2011.
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About The Author

Marco Iansiti

Technology and Operations Management
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