Module 5: Increasing Returns and Red Queens

Red Queens and Increasing Returns

I rented the Minority Report for my science fiction assignment in module 4.  I have been a frequent user of Netflix and Redbox when renting movies in the past and decided to search for the film between the two.  I was unable to locate the film using Redbox and could not stream the video thru Netflix.  This was one of the older films that required me to actually request the DVD by mail.  As a result of my search, I did find the competition between DVDs and video-on-demand to be great examples of red queen technologies as opposed to increasing returns technologies.   According to Dr. Thornburg (2009), an increasing return is a technology hits the market and gets locked in and drives the other technology to extinction.  Red queen technologies are when two technologies are competing and all other competitors get left behind in the process (Laureate Education, Inc, 2009).  DVDs and video-on-demand are both two technologies that seem to coexist in the marketplace because of individual personal preference.  Although video streaming is becoming more popular, there are still some who prefer DVDs and tend to keep pace with technology in buying Bluray discs.  I am a user of both DVDs and streaming and still purchase DVDs as collector’s item for some films.  I think that at this point, both of these technologies fit in the category of enhances on the McLuan’s tetrad.  I think that they have both obsolete the VHS player and tapes.

Reference

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). Increasing Returns and Red Queens [Video].            Baltimore, MD: Author

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