To determine the dominant author for a particular innovation theory we examined the number and quality of the articles written by the author. We also examined the context in which these authors were cited by others who are writing, teaching or consulting in the innovation field. The following is the list of innovation types, along with their dominant authors.

Radical Innovation (and Incremental)

Author: Richard Leifer, Christopher M. McDermott, Gina Colarelli O'Connor, Lois S. Peters, Mark Rice, and Robert W. Veryzer
Book/Article: Radical Innovation: How Mature Companies Can Outsmart Upstarts

Disruptive Innovation (and Sustaining)

Author: Clayton M. Christensen
Book/Article: The Innovator's Dilemma, The Innovator’s Solution, Seeing What’s Next

Architectural Innovation

Author: Rebecca M. Henderson and Kim B. Clark
Book/Article: Architectural Innovation - The Reconfiguration Of Existing Product Technologies And The Failure Of Established Firms

Open Innovation

Author: Henry W. Chesbrough
Book/Article: The Era of Open Innovation

Discontinuous Innovation

Authors: Julian Birkinshaw, Rick Delbridge and John Bessant
Book/Article: A leap into the unknown, Managing the Challenge of Discontinuous Innovation

Author: Michael L. Tushman and Philip Anderson
Book/Article: Technological Discontinuities and Organizational Environments

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