| | |  | Guy Kawasaki | | Home » | | | | | | | Product Promotions: | | | | | Description: | | What do the Honda Supercub, Intel's 8088 processor, and hydraulic excavators have in common? They are all examples of disruptive technologies that helped to redefine the competitive landscape of their respective markets. These products did not come about as the result of successful companies carrying out sound business practices in established markets. In The Innovator's Dilemma, author Clayton M. Christensen shows how these and other products cut into the low end of the marketplace and eventually evolved to displace high-end competitors and their reigning technologies. At the heart of The Innovator's Dilemma is how a successful company with established products keeps from being pushed aside by newer, cheaper products that will, over time, get better and become a serious threat. Christensen writes that even the best-managed companies, in spite of their attention to customers and continual investment in new technology, are susceptible to failure no matter what the industry, be it hard drives or consumer retailing. Succinct and clearly written, The Innovator's Dilemma is an important book that belongs on every manager's bookshelf. Highly recommended. --Harry C. Edwards | | | Product Details: | | | Author:
| Clayton M. Christensen | | Paperback:
| 320 pages | | Publisher:
| Collins Business | | Publication Date:
| 2003-01 | | ISBN:
| 0060521996 | | Package Length:
| 7.95 inches | | Package Width:
| 5.28 inches | | Package Height:
| 0.87 inches | | Package Weight:
| 0.53 pounds | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 158 reviews |
| | | | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
 every product manager must read thisMar 15, 2008
OK, I admit, some of it can be a bit boring, especially the first couple of chapters. But the premise and his argument are great.
A product manager who has not read this book is not a product manager at all!
1 of 2 found the following review helpful:
 unconvincing Dec 05, 2007
This book analyzes why established successful companies repeatedly miss "less sensible" (to their own value network) innovations in the low-end "emerging" market and how products in the low end market eventually displace existing products in the entire market. The book does a comprehensive analysis of the phenomena.
However, I am not convinced with the analysis. People make wrong forecasts of trends and miss emerging markets for many reasons. New entrants fail in trial and error with this extremely high risk game. Does it make sense for an established company to maintain an independent unit for playing this high risk game at a considerable expense? Or should they be the follower and let small companies bear the initial high cost ? I don't think there is a clear answer like what the author has suggested.
There are some uncommon and incorrect use of technology terms (e.g. Java "protocol",computer "automated "design), which let you doubt the credibility and seriousness of the author. The writing is in fairly academic style with great clarity. But it can be repetitive in many places, revisiting the same materials.
5 of 5 found the following review helpful:
Disrupt your competitors, not your customers!Nov 28, 2007
With the Innovator's Dilemma, Clayton Christensen delivers a very powerful analysis of the role of innovation in gaining market leadership. The question raised is whether market leadership can be sustained through innovation alone. Indeed, the core of the Innovator's Dilemma illustrates how successful companies with established solutions, marquee customers and a valued brand keep being threatened and at time vanquished by start-ups. A recent example would be how established enterprise software vendors have been shaken up by disruptive startups: Remember Salesforce.com vs. Siebel Systems? Christensen addresses a difficult problem that most successful customer focused companies face. Precisely, because it is a formidable challenge for an established company to bring disrupting technology to its own installed base of customers.
0 of 1 found the following review helpful:
 Solves the DilemmaNov 25, 2007
This book is highly engaging and actionable and helps companies understand how innovation is powerful and long-lasting. I also recommend "Something Really New" which was just released as another powerful resource on innovation in companies. Something Really New: Three Simple Steps to Creating Truly Innovative Products
No Dilemma HereAug 18, 2007
It is the typical manager's nightmare. A startup with a powerful idea wipes out all the dominance your large ogranisation had. It can happen overnite and without warning.
How do you stop this nightmare from happening? Well, the answer could lie in The Innovator's Dilemma.
Kishore Dharmarajan
Author of Eightstorm: 8-Step Brainstorming for Innovative Managers
| | |
|
