Architecture Shift
When the rumble of gasoline engines replaced the hiss of steam in the 1920s excavator industry, it wasn't just a change of power source—it was a complete overhaul. As Clayton Christensen explains, this shift from steam to internal combustion engines reshaped the very architecture of these earth-moving giants. Gone were the multiple steam engines, replaced by a single gasoline powerhouse driving a complex system of gears and cables. This radical transition, while challenging, ultimately strengthened the industry, proving you need to change the way you think altogether. !Early Excavators.png