Dominant Designs <Back to Last Page>     <Full Glossary>

Definition of Dominant Designs: After a technological innovcation and a subsequent era of ferment in an industry, a basic architecture of product or process that becomes the accepted market standard. From Abernathy& Utterback 1978, cited by A&T 1991. Dominant designs may not be better than alternatives nor innovative. They have the benchmark features to which subsequent designs are compared. Examples include the IBM 360 computer series and Ford's Model T automobile, and the IBM PC. (Econterms)

Terms related to Dominant Designs:
None

About.Com Resources on Dominant Designs:
None

Writing a Term Paper? Here are a few starting points for research on Dominant Designs:

Books on Dominant Designs:
None

Journal Articles on Dominant Designs:

• Dominant Design, Philip Anderson and Michael L. Tushman, Research-Technology Management, May/June 1991, pp 26-31.

<Return to Main Page>