This is the second of a 2-part series on the buy vs. build decision process. You can access my other article here.    In a world where trading systems can execute deals in microseconds and algorithms can snatch the best offer before your brain can process the number, one can begin to get the feeling that timing is everything. So time-to-market with a new trading system is of the essence. But is a quicker time to market enough to differentiate your firm in today's competitive marketplace? It depends.   In most cases, implementing an off-the-shelf product will reduce time to...

That is the age-old question - in this case not asked by Shakespeare's Hamlet but by technology specialists. Whether 'tis smarter to build a trading system from scratch and therefore keep intellectual property in-house, or 'tis better to grab an off-the-shelf system and get started, is the dilemma that keeps techies awake at night.        Generally, it’s best to build when you can gain substantial strategic advantage by creating the system in-house, or when you’re building something completely unique. It’s better to buy a packaged system when...