From hype to profit

The two Gartner technology analysts Jackie Fenn and Mark Raskino make a convincing argument with their book ‘Mastering the Hype Cycle’, using the stock market graphs for Amazon and investments in China, namely that the familiar S-shaped innovation curve (of hyped expectations through disillusionment to acceptation and implementation) is not merely a conceptual theory, but actually exists.

Mastering the Hype Cycle by Jackie Fenn and Mark Raskino

They mention the Dutch 17th century tulip craze and the international success of the online bank ING Direct as telling examples. With the STREET process (Scope, Track, Rank, Evaluate, Evangelise and Transfer) they provide a practical approach to directing innovation.