Apple Growth Derives from Planned Product Obsolescence 222.0
As shown again by the IPhone 4, Apple’s growth strategy is just planned product obsolescence with a twist. In the olden days of three-to-five year product development cycles, planned product obsolescence, and therefore consumer upgrades, was driven by annual style changes. In the much shorter product cycles of recent years, Apple is the champion of [...]
Paul Romer and the S-Curve of Innovation 94.0
Theoretical economists and management theorists, like scientists viz engineers, often do not see eye-to-eye. The goal of the first is often new knowledge while those of the second is practical application. Their stakeholders, methodologies and measures of success are also different. Still, they often inhabit one S-curve though at different parts. For this post, the [...]
Opportunity from Adjacency – Profit Zone and Blue Ocean 1 of 2
I coin the phrase “Opportunity from Adjacency” for the approach to innovative entrepreneurship using the industry value chain. Two such approaches are currently popular. The “Profit Zone” finds opportunity in adjacent links with financial analysis as the starting point. The “Blue Ocean “ finds opportunities in adjacent links with product-market analysis. This post will have [...]
Opportunity-seeking with Christensen and Disruptive Innovation – 1 of 2
Professor Christensen’s disruptive innovation was one of the most important research insights in the late 1990’s. As the book’s sub-title suggests, it seeks to explain why large, great firms with the best management still fail. This post fulfills my promise in Utterback (Post #5 here) to feature Professor Christensen when the chance arises. In the [...]
James Utterback – Mastering the Dynamics of Innovation 5.0
“A model with explanatory power for the scholar, and action ideas for the manager” – that’s what Professor James M. Utterback says of his model of dynamic industrial innovation. I agree 100% that is why this book has pride of place in this blog as being the first posted.
