The Dynamic Growth of Salesforce.com, Inc.

Abstract

This paper aims to trace the history of the Salesforce.com, Inc., a provider of cloud business management software, from the analysis of its growth and diversification strategies. It was carried out a documental research on the company’s financial reports and also on reports from consultants of information technology. From 1999 to 2021, it is identified a fast growth rhythm of the company thorough the combination of internal and external growth strategies. It is highlighted the importance of a technological platform building in which the company was able to coordinate an ecosystem of software providers and consumers. It is concluded that the company’s leadership, at international level, is due to a growth trajectory based on a ‘specialization within wide limits’ as foreseen by Edith Penrose.