Google Glass, Amazon Fire, Friendster: Why great ideas from successful companies fail

In the world of business, we tend to believe that success is a direct result of talent, resources, and a “great idea.” We expect that if a company has a track record of dominance, like Google, Amazon, or Apple, they are a sure bet for the next big thing. Yet, the history of innovation is littered with the wreckage of unexpected flops launched by industry giants.

From the futuristic promise of the Segway to the early dominance of MySpace, these failures prove that even a massive war chest...