Underlying the process and product platforms is an information technology infrastructure which ideally should support the seamless movement of data, information or knowledge through the pipeline, from source to use. An organizational infrastructure can be mapped to the product and process platforms as well, and should also support the seamless and effective movement of information through the pipeline as well as effective management and control of the process. This value must be compared to the cost for performing those process activities to determine the strategic impact and defensibility of the firm's position. A second approach examines how a firm applies its product and process platforms to its markets. Our model suggests four generic approaches, discribed here in order of decending leverage.
Reverse leverage seeks to utilize a common product as an interface to multiple separate platforms.
References Available on request. We use the term information broadly to include data, information and knowledge.