Web conferencing solutions on a global scale: challenges for software vendors, strategic partners and clients

Details

Supervisors

Lejeune, Christophe ; Coeurderoy, Régis

Faculty

Louvain School of Management

Degree label

Master [120] en sciences de gestion

Abstract

The term “web conferencing” refers to the use of internet-based tools enabling real-time group communications such as audio conferencing, video conferencing, slides or screen sharing and collaborative whiteboards. Web conferencing solutions are progressively integrating more time-shifted features such as group text messaging and file sharing. Live video communications are not new to the corporate sector. However, the improvements in internet bandwidth and the proliferation of mobile devices and software technologies have reshaped the industry landscape. These solutions are increasingly deployed off-premises. Subscription models have replaced one-time purchase licences for software distribution. Client organisations can deploy scalable web conferencing software on a global scale with limited implementation costs. This thesis is divided into two parts: a literature review and a multiple-case study. We first cover the evolution of web technologies and real-time video communications. We refer to past literature to outline the implications behind deployment. A 2016 Gartner report is used as basis to present the five current industry leaders: Cisco, Microsoft, Adobe, Zoom and LogMeIn. We find that the convergence of video standards allows competing solutions to better communicate to each other. Vendor lock-in mechanisms take a new turn as web conferencing applications are marketed in combination with other collaboration or productivity software. Social or chat-based platforms are increasingly offered by leading software vendors but also new entrants to the industry. We articulate the challenges for the adoption of new web conferencing solutions through four dimensions: technological, complexity and interoperability, pricing and costs and corporate culture. Our multiple-case study show that technological and interoperability issues are not a significant barrier to the adoption of web conferencing solutions anymore. Although security and regulations slow down the adoption for off-premises solutions, they also encourage this latter in some cases. The global deployment of a chat-based and or social platform is a serious threat to the complexity of information flow across organisations. These new platforms require behavioural changes from an end user perspective. We stress out corporate culture as the biggest challenge to the adoption of recent web conferencing solutions.