There is no single right answer or path forward, but there is one right way to frame the problem.
Clayton M. ChristensenRead
The mistake that makes launching a venture expensive is when you try to make a disruptive technology so good that it can compete on a quality basis with an established product.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Focusing too much on perfecting a new technology can hinder its success against established products.
In this quote, Clayton M. Christensen emphasizes that startups often make the mistake of over-engineering their disruptive technologies to match the quality of existing products, which can lead to unnecessary expenses and delays. Instead, he suggests that new ventures should prioritize innovation and uniqueness over direct competition on quality, allowing them to carve out their market niche more effectively.
Themes
Disruptive TechnologyVentureQualityInnovationCompetition
In practice
Example use cases
In a startup pitch, to emphasize the importance of innovation over perfection.
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Companies, in fact, are specifically organized to under-invest in disruptive innovations! This is one reason why we often suggest that companies set up separate teams or groups to commercialize disruptive innovations. When disruptive innovations have to fight with other innovations for resources, they tend to lose out.
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The breakthrough innovations come when the tension is greatest and the resources are most limited. That's when people are actually a lot more open to rethinking the fundamental way they do business.
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