An Alternative Strategy for Sustaining Innovations of Incumbent Firms

Innovation is a prominent phenomenon that enables a firm to gain a competitive advantage against its rivals. However, this does not mean that being innovative allows a firm to perform better. Although innovation has been investigated in the literature, the types of innovations still remain esoteric. As discussed in the literature, there are different kinds of innovations. Different kinds of innovation require different kinds of business models and may have varying impacts on consumer product decisions. First, this study seeks to highlight the distinction between sustaining and disruptive innovations. Second, this study offers a conceptual framework for the antecedents of sustaining innovations. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed in the light of observations.