Evolution of Wireless Access Provisioning: A Systems Thinking Approach

In this paper we examine the evolution and dynamics of value systems around GSM based mobile communications and Wi-Fi based wireless local area access. Drawing basis from value system modeling and systems thinking research a holistic framework, describing the underlying structures and dynamics of a value system at different stages and levels of service production, is created and used retrospectively to model the evolution of GSM based mobile communications and Wi-Fi based wireless local area access. The analysis based on the framework highlights that an important factor in the widespread diffusion of GSM and Wi-Fi has been the structural fit of the business and technology architectures as well as the alignment and synchronization of the different stages of service production and markets. The analysis also shows how the value systems around GSM and Wi-Fi follow distinctly different dynamics and evolution paths and how they are on a colliding course.