Thornburg
(2014) discusses how the idea of the red queens comes about when you have two
competing technologies that trying to emerge as the leader in the technology
innovation race. Thornburg (2014) references the theory of increasing returns
when it states that it is possible that between two competing technology
innovations one will begin on the path of extinction due to the winning
technology innovation capturing the attention of people more than the other. An
excellent example of this was when Nintendo was battling against Sony and
Microsoft for control of the video game console market. In 1990, Nintendo captured
the hearts and minds of gamers with the Super Mario game with their Super
Nintendo gaming system.
However,
since 1990 Sony and Microsoft has fought back with their versions of gaming
system which proved to rival Nintendo’s technology innovations with the
inclusion of the Play Station and XBOX. Today, almost 30 years later Nintendo
no matter how they have tried to battle against XBOX and Sony with its
inclusion of the Nintendo Wii; they are not able to compete with the others.
Nintendo seems to have fizzled out and they are not in the lime light as they
once were. Now, the competition is primarily seen between XBOX and Play
Station. Consumers are interested in more lifelike computer graphics. Today,
games can be purchased online and downloaded with the gaming console instead of
going into a store to purchase them. This same transition of technology
evolution also applies to movie videos.
To
complete assignment four I watched Minority Report on my iPad using the Amazon
library app. I had previously purchased the movie and was able to watch it from
my iPad. Today, I like the ability to watch my movies from either my smart
phone or iPad. I would have to say that the competition between DVD and on
Demand Video Streaming is both an example of Increasing Returns and Red Queens.
It is an example of Red Queens because initially Blockbuster was in competition
with Netflix. However, Blockbuster could not get compete with Netflix’s mail in
order system, lower prices, and greater availability. I, too, remember going to
Blockbuster and many occasions looking to rent to latest video release only to
be turned away because all of their video selections have been rented out to
customers. Now that Blockbuster has went bankrupt and fizzled out, the Red
Queens today are Netflix and Amazon. Netflix is an example of increasing
returns because Netflix is starting to emerge as the premier in Internet TV by
creating shows that are primarily shown on the Internet as opposed to being on
a cable television channel. One of my favorite shows to watch is “Orange is the
new Black” which was created on the Internet.
References
Brownlee,
A. (2015). The Evolution of Video Rental Stocks. Retrieved from https://blogonmanagement.wordpress.com/2015/05/18/disruptive-innovation-in-the-video-rental-industry-story-of-netflix/
Severny, A. (2015).
The movie theater of the future will be in your mind. Retrieved from
Thornburg, D. (2013d). Red queens, butterflies, and
strange attractors: Imperfect lenses into emergent technologies. Lake Barrington, IL: Thornburg Center for Space
Exploration.
