Microsoft Word is the most widely used word-processing program. Which of the following explanations for its popularity uses the lock-in hypothesis?
A)Build a better mousetrap and the world beats a path to your door. MS Word is the better mousetrap.
B)Because MS Word is the standard in business, it is difficult to use other word processing programs and share documents.
C)MS Word is priced below other competing programs; Microsoft can afford to price it low because it sells so many copies.
D)Although MS Word is not the cheapest word processor, its ratio of features to price is better than the competitors.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The lock-in hypothesis suggests that once a product becomes a standard, users are "locked in" because switching to another product would involve high costs, inconvenience, or compatibility issues. Choice B directly addresses this by stating that MS Word's status as the standard in business makes it difficult to use other programs and share documents, implying users are locked into using MS Word due to its widespread adoption and compatibility standards.

Microsoft Word Is the Most Widely Used Word-Processing Program