Aggregation Theory
Aggregation Theory provides a framework to understand the impact of the Internet on nearly all industries.
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Zillow fits the description of an aggregator, but it hasn’t transformed its industry due to a lack of integration. Now it is trying to do exactly that.
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An apolitical analysis of what is happening in U.S. politics through the lens of Aggregation Theory
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The FANG companies — Facebook, Amazon, Netflix, and Google — are far more similar than you might think. Their rise in value is no accident, and it is connected to Aggregation Theory.
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The disruption caused by the Internet in industry after industry has a common theoretical basis described by Aggregation Theory.
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The Problem with “Aggregation Theory”, Demand at Scale, Supplier Power and Value
A response to The Problem with Ben Thompson’s ‘Aggregation Theory’, and why the Internet really is different (this Daily Update is freely accessible)
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Google Fights Back
At Google I/O, Google was the opposite of defensive: the company set out to make the case that its approach made for better products that makes people’s lives better
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Uber Questions Follow-up, Luminary Launches, Luminary’s Broken Rung
More on why giving information to investors often helps companies, then why Luminary, a new service for podcasters, is probably not going to succeed. Building bundles is hard!
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Disney and the Future of TV
TV is moving from a world where distribution dictates business models to one where business models need to fit the jobs consumers want done. That is the best way to understand Disney’s latest announcement.
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Where Warren’s Wrong Follow-up, Amazon’s Price Parity Provision, The Amazon Marketplace Question
More on Senator Warren’s tech antitrust proposal, why regulatory focus should be on contracts, and why 3rd-parties benefit from Amazon Marketplace.
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Zillow Changes CEOs, An Interview with Zillow CEO Rich Barton
Zillow has changed CEOs, which makes sense given the change in the company’s business model. Then, an interview with new CEO and Zillow co-founder Rich Barton.
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The Value Chain Constraint
Companies succeed or fail not based on technology but rather according to their ability to integrate within their value chains.
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Apple News Follow-up, What Direct-to-Consumer Publishers are Selling, More on Podcasts: Supporting Cast and Kimberlite
More on why Apple News is both different than Facebook, and yet similar from a publisher perspective. Then, how publishers should think about their business — and Apple News — plus two new entrants in the podcast space.




