PAXboy:
... I have seen a few reinventions of the wheel that were found not to be quite as good as was originally stated.
Sometimes the corporate memory forgets aspects of what made the old design a success, and omits a vital detail in a new design. I've seen this happen in a 1980s prop design that overlooked vital details from a 1930s prop.
OTOH, sometimes a good idea gets poorly implemented, and the chosen corrective action is to revert to an old but proven design, and the Brand X "corporate memory" is to never make that mistake & try that new idea again. Until:
1) The boss retires or is replaced, and new decision-makers derive a newer successful design - or
2) the Brand Y competitor beats them to a successful implementation, possibly putting Brand X out of business.