Fusion of Disruptive Technologies:: Lessons from the Skype Case

In this paper, we study the effects of integration of one or more disruptive innovations and ask if the resultant (new) innovation can have a dramatic impact on new and existing markets, and the resultant technology paradigm. We describe the evolution and dynamics of this process using Skype as a case in point. Skype successfully fused peer-to-peer computing (P2P) techniques and voice-over-Internet-protocol (VoIP) to create a new standard and operating model. We discuss whether such integration of disruptive technologies may lead to a “marriage of equals” or whether it leads to dominance by a single technology – and if so, in what circumstances.