Innovator’s Dilemma in the Computer Operating Systems Market – Strategies for the High Technology Market Space

High Technology Products follow a distinct Development and Usage Cycle from Innovators to Laggards. According to Moore the passage from one phase to another is not a smooth movement but is marked by gaps that need to be crossed. A big chasm needs to be crossed before a product is accepted by the majority. Christensen has introduced the concept the Innovator's Dilemma in the face of disruptive technological innovations which have the potential to drive out dominant companies that depend only on sustaining technological innovation. The ongoing confrontation between the high tech giants Google and Microsoft in the Computer Operating System market space provides an interesting study in competitive strategy and this paper presents a framework for evaluating the rationale and consequences of their strategies.