One Laptop Per Child Essay

1. Why are Microsoft, Intel, and other leading for profit companies interested in low-cost computers for the developing world? In 2005, Nicholas Negroponte, the founder of MIT’s Media Labs, announced the One Laptop per Child (OLPC) program at the World Economic Forum. The concept was simple and appealing. Innovate a $100 laptop and distribute it to children in the developing world’s governments. The vision was for bridging the digital divide between developed and developing nations. The OLPC was a nonprofit project for the developing nation’s school going students’ for their better education. The OLPC created buzz from its first day of announcement for its low cost and its non profit initiative for developing country’s children. Though the company like Microsoft and Intel is leading profit for organization they interested in OLPC project. Because the project was for the developing countries school going student who don’t have enough opportunity to learn like developed county’s children and don’t have ability to afford the technology device for higher price. So as the leading organization Microsoft and Intel have the social responsibility for the developing country’s children and they also see the opportunity to do social welfare with establishing branding in people minds. On the other hand the OLPC was started with their rivalry organization like Linux and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD). So if the OLPC project succeeds the organization like Linux and AMD can create threat for their leading monopoly business. So from their social responsibility point of view and for the marketing of their own brand names into people minds they interested in low cost computes for the developing world. 2. Do you agree with Negroponte’s decision to partner with Microsoft? Yes I do agree with the Negroponte’s Partnership decision with company like Microsoft which is very much trusted and reliable name in this computer sector for their operating system and software. The OLPC project was an ambitious vision for Negroponte to educate the developing world’s school going children by providing low cost laptop computer. As he announced the lap top will be low cost and price will be the $ 100 dollar for each so he uses the Linux operating system which is non-proprietary and available for free to anyone who wants to use. But it didn’t work, In 2008 OLPC faced disappointing sales because the country’s like Libya and Nigeria who pledges to buy about one million for each country’s people both backed off those pledges and the cost increase $180 to $190 range. So the brand name like Linux was not reliable for the mass population of the world and they felt insecure with that operating system. On the other hand some potential buyers worried about the lack of Microsoft’s windows operating system. So as the OLPC didn’t succeed the way it was estimated so Negroponte needed to collaborate with the Microsoft to increase its sales and add more customer satisfaction by the Microsoft brand name. 3. Assess the thinking behind the â€Å"give one, get one† promotion. Do you think this is a good marketing tactic? In November 2007, in an effort to increase production, OLPC announced the promotion of† Give One, Get One†. The OLPC team started this promotion to grab the market attention of their nonprofit ambitious project. Because prior to the initiative’s launch, the OLPC had been a fascinating demonstration of hardware and software ingenuity, but actual unit sales and donations had been far smaller than originally predicted. The G1G1 program was designed to change that, offering individual consumers the chance to buy two laptops for $399. Though the tactic of â€Å"Give One, Get One† is aggressive marketing strategies in order to gain market share and capitalize on its competitive strengths. Though the aggressive marketing tactic like Give one, Get One always not good for the all types of products. But the OLPC project had strong competent like Intel Classmate. So to grab the attention of mass people and gain maximum market share and achieve the goal of developing country’s poor children education this marketing tactic was good for the project. Because OLPC announced two weeks give one get one promotion first but for its huge response to the markets they increased their promotional offer time.