Strategic Breakthroughs: The Flagpoles of Innovation Journey

This paper investigates the innovation journey from ideation to market leadership as a series of strategic breakthroughs. Our model of innovation is built on the experiences of innovation journey of Samsung in creating two world-class products. In this model we highlight the myriad roles played by organization and environment in creating strategic breakthroughs that lead to an innovation. Through an in-depth analysis of Samsung’s microwave and semiconductor business we conceptualize that the innovation journey progresses through a series of four types of strategic breakthroughs: Entry, Platform, Springboard, and Leadership. These strategic breakthroughs occur because of interplay between external environmental and internal organizational factors. The environment plays multiple roles to support innovation journey which we have labeled as parent, coach, partner, and expectant. Similarly, organization supports innovation journey by concurrent roles of experimenter, integrator, expert, and enhancer. By concep...