Dealing with Disruption

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!