Disruptive Technologies: Explaining Entry in Next Generation Information Technology Markets
Date
2000-09
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
INFORMS
Abstract
The most difficult challenge facing a market leader is maintaining its leading position. This is especially true in information technology and telecommunications industries, where multiple product generations and rapid technological evolution continually test the ability of the incumbent to stay ahead of potential entrants. In these industries, an incumbent often protects its position by launching prematurely to retain its leadership. Entry, however, happens relatively frequently. We identify conditions under which an entrant will launch a next generation product thereby preventing the incumbent from employing a protection strategy.
We define a capabilities advantage as the ability to develop and launch a next generation product at a lower cost than a competitor, and a product with a greater market response is one with greater profit flows. Using these definitions, we find that an incumbent with a capabilities advantage in one next generation product can be overtaken by an entrant with a capabilities advantage in another next generation product only if the entrant’s capabilities advantage is in a disruptive technology that yields a product with a greater market response. This can occur even though both next generation products are available to both firms. We also show that the competition may require the launching firm to lose money at the margin on the
next generation product.
Description
INFORMS: author’s accepted manuscript can be posted. 12 month embargo. Must include DOI to publisher version.https://www.informs.org/Find-Research-Publications/INFORMS-Journals/Rights-Permissions#work. Link to publisher's version http://ezproxy.lib.ucalgary.ca/login?url=http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.lib.ucalgary.ca/docview/208173787?accountid=9838
Keywords
Competitive Strategy, Defensive Strategy, Distruptive Technology, Game Theory, Product Research
Citation
Nault, B.R., and M.B. Vandenbosch, "Disruptive Technologies: Explaining Entry in Next Generation Information Technology Markets," Information Systems Research, 11, 3 (September 2000), 304-319.