Fast Second
Fast Second: How Smart Companies Bypass Radical Innovation to Enter and Dominate New Markets by Constantinos C. Markides and Paul A. Geroski studies companies that wait for pioneers to prove demand before entering aggressively. It argues that second movers can scale faster by leveraging superior assets, distribution, and timing once uncertainty drops.
The authors outline playbooks for spotting when to jump in, acquiring or partnering with pioneers, and designing organisational structures that support rapid follow-on execution. The book helps leaders balance patience with decisive action.