The High Cost of Staying the Same: From Tupperware's Decline to IBM's Reinvention

by Dr. Rajendra Pratap Gupta, PhD

4 min readSeptember 07, 2025

The High Cost of Staying the Same: From Tupperware's Decline to IBM's Reinvention

Reinvention or Irrelevance: Lessons for a Reset Future

History shows us a consistent truth—companies that thrive are those that reinvent, while those that cling to legacy eventually fade into irrelevance.

We often cite tech companies such as Nokia, Kodak, or Blockbuster, which once ruled their categories but collapsed when they failed to adapt. Yet, the story is not limited to technology. Tupperware, once a staple in households across the globe, is now on the brink of extinction. The company clung to outdated direct-sales models instead of embracing e-commerce and digital community building, leaving it disconnected from the next generation of consumers. Similarly, Sears, once the largest retailer in the U.S., failed to reimagine itself in the face of Walmart and Amazon, slipping from dominance to bankruptcy. Toys "R" Us, a childhood icon, could not pivot quickly enough to digital shopping trends.

Hard decision is moving from the tradition

Even in food and beverages, giants like Heinz and Campbell's struggled when they stuck too long to legacy packaged products before finally modernizing their portfolios. In India, Bajaj Auto Ltd is a classic example. It took a hard decision to shut down its scooter business at its peak, and move to motorcycles. The message is clear: popularity and household recognition are not enough. Reinvention is not optional; it is the difference between decline and renewal.

On the other hand, we see inspiring reinventions. Microsoft, long reliant on Windows and Office, reshaped itself as a cloud and AI leader. Adobe, with its widely loved Photoshop, disrupted its own business model by moving to subscriptions—unlocking more growth than ever before. Even in traditional sectors, LEGO was once near bankruptcy but reinvented itself by embracing digital storytelling, movies, and experiential play. Reinvention keeps them not just alive but ahead.

The Great RESET: The Summit of Reinvention

This is why the upcoming Global Digital Health Summit is designed around one word: RESET. Healthcare cannot run on yesterday's models in today's digital world. Just as consumer brands needed to reinvent, Pharmaceuticals, doctors, hospitals, policymakers, innovators, and other providers must reset their strategies to thrive in what i call as the Golden Age of Medicine.

At this professional-grade summit for top clinicians, inventors, founders, and CEOs, you will not only learn from health-tech pioneers and inventors—but also from the world's most respected thinkers on reinvention.

Dr. Ram CharanThe Legendary Dr. Ram Charan

One such legend is Dr. Ram Charan, the business guru to Fortune 500 boards and author of bestsellers, including Execution. He has advised companies like GE, Bank of America, and Toyota on reinventing themselves to create lasting value. Hearing him at the Summit is a rare opportunity to understand how reinvention is engineered at the highest level.

But that's just the beginning. From the founder of the internet to the creators of connected health, pre-emptive care models, and Software as a Medical Device (SaMD), the Summit will bring together those who have already defined the future. Time to meet them and discuss. This summit for many, would be a multi-millon dollar ROI for every dollar spent!

Why You Must Be There

Most leaders who are curious about the future of medicine will be coming to this Summit. It is not another conference—it is a marketplace of reinvention. A place where you can understand how to reset your own path, co-create with pioneers, and prepare for the future.

If Tupperware, Sears, or Toys "R" Us teach us anything, it is that resting on legacy is fatal. Reinvention is the lifeline.

Join us at the Global Digital Health Summit—where healthcare reinvents itself, and where the next Golden Age begins.

Dr. Rajendra Pratap Gupta, PhD

https://www.globalsummit.health

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