The Innovator's Dilemma

by Clayton M. Christensen · 1997

Christensen's study of why successful incumbents can fail when disruptive technologies emerge.

3 source-backed recsNo paid placementBuy links disclosed

Author signal

Clayton M. Christensen · Book author

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Author signal

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Clayton M. ChristensenBook author

Author credited for a Steve Blank Books for Startups catalog title.

Recommended by, documented so far

The Innovator's Dilemma appears in 3 currently documented source-backed recommendations.

Steve Blank Entrepreneur and customer-development author

Recommended Official startup reading list official

Innovator's Dilemma and Innovator's Solution helped me refine the notion of the Four types of Startup Markets.

Exact quote verified Recommended official Books for Startups

We captured the recommendation language from the source.

Steve Blank · accessed 2026-06-21 · accessed 2026-06-21

Steve Blank's official Books for Startups page names these titles in startup reading sections and includes direct guidance such as must-have, must-read, essential reading, useful read, or listed book guidance.

Open source

Recommended · Official startup reading list · official Source accessed 2026-06-21

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Andrew Grove Engineer and CEO, Intel

Recommended Reported conference recommendation article

Documented citation: The New Yorker reported that Grove held up The Innovator's Dilemma at COMDEX and called it the most important book he had read in ten years.

Documented citation Recommended article When Giants Fail

This source documents the book relationship, but the displayed text is a catalog summary rather than a verbatim quote.

The New Yorker · 2012-05-14 · accessed 2026-06-21

The New Yorker reports that Grove held up The Innovator's Dilemma at COMDEX and called it the most important book he had read in ten years.

Open source

Recommended · Reported conference recommendation · article Source 2012-05-14

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Drew Houston Co-founder & CEO, Dropbox

Recommended Podcast transcript transcript

two of the books that were really instrumental, the first one is Innovator's Dilemma

Exact quote verified Recommended transcript The Tim Ferriss Show Transcripts: Drew Houston

We captured the recommendation language from the source.

Tim Ferriss · 2018-08-29 · accessed 2026-06-23

Houston says The Innovator's Dilemma was one of two books that were really instrumental and explains its disruption/startup relevance.

Open source

Recommended · Podcast transcript · transcript Source 2018-08-29

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