Success and Failure Traps in Innovation Adoption: Two Sides, One Coin?
Type
conference paper
Date Issued
2011-11-07
Author(s)
Abstract
Research on incumbents' response to disruptive innovation suffers from a success bias. The primary focus being on success traps, failure traps have received much less attention. This study uses a case study of two polar episodes of business model adaptation at a large financial service firm to elaborate and re-ingrate theory on strategic innovation. We find that balancing associated with complementary roles of top and middle management, yet the division of labor differed between learning traps. We also find significant differences in the practices used to balance in single ventures. However, more fundamentally, we find underlying tensions and antecedents to be a common denominator of the incumbent's response, independent of the particular learning challenge. Our main contribution is an integrative model that goes beyond categorizations of learning traps as mirror-inverted situations,
elaborating both underlying differences and commonalities.
elaborating both underlying differences and commonalities.
Language
English
HSG Classification
contribution to scientific community
Refereed
Yes
Book title
Strategies for a Multi-Polar World: National Institutions And Global Competition
Publisher
SMS Strategic Management Society
Publisher place
Chicago
Event Title
31st Strategic Management Society (SMS) Annual International Conference
Event Location
Miami, FL
Event Date
06.-09.11.2011
Subject(s)
Division(s)
Eprints ID
226704