I have been reading “The Innovator’s Dilemma” by Clayton M. Christensen.
It details a theory as to why incumbent technology companies falter when confronted with certain types of new technology.
The general idea is that innovation in a technological area outstrips that needed by the customers in that area. So, the technology expands upwards into markets it was previously not suited to. Displacing older technologies in the process.
Examples from the Hard Disk Industry are used as the main example.
Very interesting read. Well worth looking at.