This paper aims to examine how previous innovation failures hindered subsequent related innovation at Sun Microsystems. It also aims to concentrate on the human resource management aspects.
The paper traces the development of the Sun Microsystems Sun Ray offering, which followed its failed JavaStation product. It describes how the Sun Ray endeavour encountered the classic “innovator's dilemma” problems, well known to those who attempt to champion disruptive innovations.
Reveals that, despite its many strong competitive advantages, the Sun Ray computer has struggled to catch hold with customers, largely because of the company's inability to learn from its earlier JavaStation failure and to recover from the trauma of that failure.
Presents management practices to prevent major trauma and consequent innovation paralysis.
Contends that Sun Ray was too closely associated with the earlier, highly traumatic and publicized failure of JavaStation and never really got a chance to prove its mettle. Overcoming such innovation trauma is a critical but under‐appreciated aspect of innovation management in companies that depend on continuous innovation for their competitiveness.
