The Disruptor's Dilemma

We have all heard of Clayton Christensen's seminal Innovator's Dilemma which focuses on what established companies do to speed up or slow down innovative, disruptive new products.

But this article in New York Times touches on an external disruptor and its dilemma when the bear comes knocking

"After legal action failed to fend off the pipsqueak, I.B.M. resorted to a bear hug: it bought Platform in July for $150 million. And then it promptly terminated the innovative product.

Despite eliminating the Platform threat, I.B.M. still faces the wrath of many in the computer industry. The Computer and Communications Industry Association, a trade group backed by the likes of Google, Oracle and Microsodt, described the Platform deal as “a clear attempt by I.B.M. to purchase a company solely to foreclose competition in the mainframe marketplace, protecting its cash cow at the expense of consumers.”

And T3 Technologies, a small company that resold Platform’s products and was devastated by I.B.M.’s move, has filed an antitrust complaint against I.B.M. with regulators at the European Commission"

What is interesting to me is the other named parties - Google, Oracle and Microsoft - have been at various times accused of similar behavior. Hopefully, the CCIA will also speak out about them as appropriate.

This blog will continue to celebrate Disruptors of all shapes and sizes, but they need more than moral support.