Clayton M. Christensen (2000), The Innovator’s
Dilemma, Harvard University Press, pp. 252.
I bought my copy of ‘Innovator’s
Dilemma’ the week after Harvard Professor and one of the most prescient business
thinkers of our time, Clayton Christensen died early this year. Author of
numerous influential books including ‘The Innovator’s Solution’ (2003), ‘How Will
You Measure Your Life?’ (2012), and most recently ‘The Prosperity Paradox’
(2019), Christensen was a teacher, and philosopher who had also established
research organizations, investment and management consultancies that advised
businesses to do well. This blog article is about his most famous book, and
also a small way of giving tribute to his great intellect.
Main Thesis
The core of the book is
about answering one question- how can businesses successfully deal with
disruptive technology? The thesis of this book resonates even more so in a
period when automation and platformization are disrupting the framework of our
political economy. Christensen uses the example of the disk-drive industry that
he had worked on towards his doctoral research. Then, he corroborates his
findings using evidence from other sectors.
Christensen’s main
finding is that companies that follow ‘good management practices’ such as listening
to their customer base succeed with sustaining established technology, but fail
miserably when faced with disruptive ones. This is because disruptive technology
does not work out first in established markets. Disruptive technology enters a
niche base of specialized users and takes time evolving in form, design and applications,
while waiting for the right market to be introduced. First mover advantage
matters the most while commercializing disruptive technology. There is a long
period of gestation while research and experimentation take precedence over marketing
and sales. Due to all these factors, mainstream companies and leaders in an industry
often miss the advent of a new technology about to disrupt their sector. Using empirical
evidence from successful case studies, Christensen proposes ways in which business
organizations can successfully survive and dominate a disruptive technology
curve.
Researcher’s
Writer
This book is powerful
not just for anyone who wants to understand how businesses should deal with
disruptive technology, but also to young researchers about to write their first
book. Christensen shows how to write a good book based on your original
research. All the myriad conflicts a debutante author faces- how to use data,
how to present findings in an interesting manner, how to arrange the reams you
have researched over the years – are all pared down here. Written in crisp,
simple, clear, everyday language, Christensen builds a thesis, without batting
an eye lid, and without losing your attention. Get started on this book, and
stay ahead of the curve!
