Are the Basics of Innovation Changing?
May 6, 2012
The Washington Post gets into Harvard/Wharton pontification methods with “Google and the Myth of First-Mover Advantage.” Writer Dominic Basulto proposes that the principle that has underpinned innovation for many years, that of the first-mover advantage, is being replaced by a more holistic, ecosystem-building approach. The article declares:
“The ‘first-to-market’ mentality has been replaced by a broader, more strategic imperative: to create a truly global ecosystem that encompasses devices, platforms and operating systems. It’s okay to introduce a tablet after everyone else, as long as that tablet runs on your operating system and helps your overall ecosystem perform. . . .
“To be a great business in today’s digital world, it requires spotting all the emergent technological trends on the borders and edges and transforming them into new, scalable market opportunities that build on existing strengths in a unique way.”
Google, Basulto insists, is the prime example of a company who gets it. That’s why it keeps churning out new applications; even when the ideas are far from fresh, they all deliver users back into the Google environment. Even their much anticipated, the-future-is-here glasses, he notes, are another way to pull users into Google’s world.
Interesting observations. So, now that the Post has this knowledge, how will the paper put it into practice? Perhaps more important: How will online information systems leverage this insight?
Cynthia Murrell, May 6, 2012
Sponsored by PolySpot
Comments
-
- Subscribe to Beyond Search
Feature archive
News archive
-
