The Innovator's Dilemma
by Clayton M. Christensen · 1997
In a nutshell
The Innovator’s Dilemma is another classic business book that every founder should read. First published in 1997, the book focuses on why incumbent companies consistently struggle to adapt to disruptive technologies. Through a detailed study of multiple industries across several decades, Christensen unpacks the structural factors that prevent incumbents from reacting to disruption. For any founder who’s ever been asked 'What if Google builds this?' (or who wants to better understand how their ‘David’ can conquer ‘Goliath’), this book is a must-read.
Overview
The Innovator's Dilemma explains why successful companies fail when confronted with disruptive technologies and how to avoid that fate.
Key Concepts
- Sustaining vs. disruptive innovation
- Why successful companies ignore disruptive technologies
- The resource dependence theory
- How to create an independent unit for disruptive projects
- Case studies: disk drives, excavators, etc.
Price varies by retailer and edition; available in paperback, hardcover, and e-book formats.
Reference
The Innovator's Dilemma — publisher / official page. Summary adapted from the Awesome Startup Books collection.
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