Strategies of innovation in an ancient business: cases of the fountain pen industry Online publication date: Sun, 30-Jul-2017
by Marcos Ferasso; Ivan Antonio Pinheiro; Christine Da Silva Schröeder
International Journal of Economics and Business Research (IJEBR), Vol. 14, No. 1, 2017
Abstract: The introduction of the ballpoint pen and its consequent change in the prevalent fountain pen industry is presented as an empirical evidence of Christensen's disruptive technology theory. This research paper analyses the different innovation strategies adopted by the fountain pen industry to survive to the attack of ballpoint pen spread. To meet this objective, case studies of Waterman, Montblanc and Parker companies are discussed. The data, collected from secondary sources, indicate that the fountain pen industry had a great reduction in their sales and later stabilised at a lower level by stressing their positioning at the luxury goods market, but also adopting and transforming the new ballpoint technology. The analysis of this case leads to the conclusion that the ballpoint pen is truly a good example of Christensen's disruptive technology because it contains all of Schumpeter's types of innovation.
Existing subscribers:
Go to Inderscience Online Journals to access the Full Text of this article.
If you are not a subscriber and you just want to read the full contents of this article, buy online access here.Complimentary Subscribers, Editors or Members of the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Economics and Business Research (IJEBR):
Login with your Inderscience username and password:
Want to subscribe?
A subscription gives you complete access to all articles in the current issue, as well as to all articles in the previous three years (where applicable). See our Orders page to subscribe.
If you still need assistance, please email subs@inderscience.com
Our Blog 
Follow us on Twitter 
Visit us on Facebook