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Strategy

Akamai's Localization Challenge

By

Donald Roy Lessard

Sep 22, 2017

Abstract

Founded in 1998, Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Akamai provided its customers including Apple, Netflix, and Amazon services to accelerate and improve the delivery of content and applications over the Internet. By 2011, the company's globalization strategy and structure was harming its ability to compete in local markets. Charley Dublin was put in charge of helping solve the global content delivery network's (CDN) localization challenge.

"The Internet makes it too easy to feel like you can go global." — Charley Dublin, VP, Engineering, Intelligent Platform

Learning Objectives

To understand when localization of various aspects of the product/service/business model can add value and in response to what conditions; and, how various aspects of a firm’s organization (grouping, linking, alignment) can support this localization.

Appropriate for the Following Course(s)

global strategy; international management

Akamai's Localization Challenge

*TEACHING NOTES AND SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS ARE ONLY AVAILABLE TO EDUCATORS WHO HOLD TEACHING POSITIONS AT ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS.