At times, advantage comes from the ability to assemble a diverse set of capabilities. What matters is not the size of the pieces but, rather, that the right pieces are assembled snugly together. Composition has been a key to designing constellations in the market for personal digital assistants, the little hand-held device which promised the computing power of a simple PC, the communications capability of a cellular phone, and the size, styling, and durability of consumer electronics. Major companies in each of these industries entered the field, each arriving with particular strengths. They each assembled firms into constellations which gave them access to the technical capabilities they lacked.
Constellations can also demand geographic diversity.
Consider the case of Asia Link, a constellation in the Asian advertising business. Yet in terms of geographies, the members are intentionally distinct. Each is the leading local firm in one of eleven national markets stretching from Japan to India. Internal competition Asia Link is also designed to restrict competition among member firms. Each member is the constellation' s only representative in a given national market.