What is a disruptive technology

Disruptive Technology

What Is Disruptive Technology?

Disruptive technology is an innovation that significantly alters the way that consumers, industries, or businesses operate. A disruptive technology sweeps away the systems or habits it replaces because it has attributes that are recognizably superior.

Recent disruptive technology examples include e-commerce, online news sites, ride-sharing apps, and GPS systems.

In their own times, the automobile, electricity service, and television were disruptive technologies.

Understanding Disruption

Disruptive Technology Explained

Clayton Christensen introduced the idea of disruptive technologies in a 1995 Harvard Business Review article. Christensen later expanded on the topic in The Innovator’s Dilemma, published in 1997. It has since become a buzzword in startup businesses that seek to create a product with mass appeal.

Even a startup with limited resources can aim at technology disruption by inventing an entirely new way of getting something done. Established companies tend to focus on what they do best and pursue incremental improvements rather than revolutionary changes. They cater to their largest and most demanding customers.

Key Takeaways

This provides an opening for disruptive businesses to target overlooked customer segments and gain an industry presence. Established companies often lack the flexibility to adapt quickly to new threats. That allows disruptors to move upstream over time and cannibalize more customer segments.

Disruptive technologies are difficult to prepare for because they can appear suddenly.

The Potential of Disruptive Technology

Risk-taking companies may recognize the potential of disruptive technology in their own operations and target new markets that can incorporate it into their business processes. These are the «innovators» of the technology adoption lifecycle. Other companies may take a more risk-averse position and adopt an innovation only after seeing how it performs for others.

Companies that fail to account for the effects of disruptive technology may find themselves losing market share to competitors that have discovered ways to integrate the technology.

Blockchain as an Example of Disruptive Technology

Blockchain, the technology behind Bitcoin, is a decentralized distributed ledger that records transactions between two parties. It moves transactions from a centralized server-based system to a transparent cryptographic network. The technology uses peer-to-peer consensus to record and verify transactions, removing the need for manual verification.

The automobile, electricity service, and television all were disruptive technologies in their own times.

Blockchain technology has enormous implications for financial institutions such as banks and stock brokerages. For example, a brokerage firm could execute peer-to-peer trade confirmations on the blockchain, removing the need for custodians and clearinghouses, which will reduce financial intermediary costs and dramatically expedite transaction times.

Investing in Disruptive Technology

Investing in companies that create or adopt disruptive technologies carries significant risk. Many products considered disruptive take years to be adopted by consumers or businesses, or are not adopted at all. The Segway electric vehicle was once touted as a disruptive technology until it wasn’t.

Investors can gain exposure to disruptive technology by investing in exchange-traded funds (ETFs) such as the ALPS Disruptive Technologies ETF (DTEC). This fund invests in a variety of innovative areas such as the internet of things, cloud computing, fintech, robotics, and artificial intelligence.

Disruptive Technology

A technology that affects the normal operation of the market or the industry

What is Disruptive Technology?

Disruptive technology is the technology that affects the normal operation of a market or an industry. It displaces a well-established product or technology, creating a new industry or market. A professor at Harvard Business School, Clayton M. Christensen, invented the term “disruptive technology.”

New technology can either be sustaining or disruptive. While sustaining technology depends on the incremental improvements in the already existing technology, disruptive technology is a completely new one. Hence, the practical application of such types of technology may not have been proven yet.

Also, disruptive technologies often attract a small audience and generate performance problems. They do not occur frequently; however, they are more suitable for long-term use.

They may not be able to fulfill the demands of the high-end market initially, but they exceed market expectations when it appears to be profitable. Disruptive technologies are generally originated from startups and young companies rather than the leading companies.

Summary

Examples of Disruptive Technology

The following are some examples of the disruptive technologies that significantly influence the future of humans:

1. Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Artificial intelligence (AI) is used in numerous applications, such as fraud protection, video games, and spam detection in emails. AI helps to streamline company operations and enhance the lives of individuals.

Systems such as chatbots for web support, virtual assistants like Google Home or Apple Siri, and tracking the estimated time of arrival of online food orders helps answer questions, take requests, and make lives easier and more efficient.

Artificial intelligence discovers an individual’s preferences by collecting data from products purchased, search histories, and overheard conversations. Google is building an algorithm that enables AI to learn driving through experience, similar to humans.

2. Blockchain

Blockchain was developed through Bitcoin for disrupting the banking sector, where ledgers are highly centralized. Blockchain utilizes the technology of distributed ledger and through its decentralized and cryptographic components, blockchain removes the requirement of third parties involved in financial transactions.

The decentralization, security, and transparency features of blockchain are intended to increase the security of financial transactions while reducing the hefty bank charges. The transactions become faster and free from the risks of only one point of authority.

Blockchain is enabling a shift to a shared economy from the prevailing ownership economy. In a shared economy, people will be able to share resources, such as data storage, solar energy, and cars.

3. Internet of Things (IoT)

With its expansive network of devices connected to the internet, the Internet of Things (IoT) helps to reduce the gap between digital and physical spheres. IoT sees new relationships to develop between things and other things, things and people, and people and other people.

Although the potential to connect other devices to the internet is not new, a greater number of things are now being connected to the internet than ever before. IoT will help make a transition into smart cities. IoT will make the cities cost-effective, safe places to live, and more efficient.

Making a Disruptive Technology Success

According to Clayton Christensen, disruptive technology becomes successful because of the following:

1. Business models should be innovative

The business model targeting low-end customers or a new segment of customers will aid in the success of disruptive technology.

2. Value network

When it succeeds, a network of suppliers, customers, and distributors also prosper.

3. Enabling technology

The disruptive technology should be able to make products accessible and affordable to a bigger audience.

Well-established companies focus on efficiency improvement and lack sufficient time for preparing for a disruptive technology appearance. On the contrary, startups or young companies are generally risk-taking companies. They identify the capability of disruptive technology and look for ways to incorporate the same in the business. However, preparing for the disruption is difficult, as they tend to appear suddenly.

Additional Resources

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Что такое подрывные технологии и чего от них ждать

Теорию шести стадий экспоненциального роста в середине 2010-х годов представил основатель Singularity University и фонда поддержки инноваций X-Prize Питер Диамандис. Сейчас его концепция звучит еще острее: многие технологии приближаются к последним, самым разрушительным для старых рынков стадиям.

Что такое подрывные технологии

Disruptive technologies (подрывные технологии) — это инновации, которые создают новый рынок и в результате разрушают существующий, вытесняя его признанных лидеров.

Это определение одним из первых сформулировал и проанализировал американский ученый и теоретик менеджмента Клейтон Кристенсен в середине 1990-х годов. По его словам, подрывные технологии полностью меняют наш способ работы или использования продуктов и услуг.

Например, платформы для видеосвязи и стриминговые сервисы перевернули индустрии развлечений и коммуникаций. В то же время компании вроде Uber большинство экспертов не относят к «подрывникам», ведь способ использования машин в целом остался прежним.

Стадия 1: Digitalization (диджитализация)

Все, что может быть оцифровано, способно распространяться со скоростью света или, по меньшей мере, со скоростью интернета, считает Питер Диамандис. По его словам, как только процесс или продукт переходит из физического состояния в цифровое, ему открывается дорога к экспоненциальному росту.

Но не все так просто: для успешного старта нужно правильно рассчитать момент, поясняет один из экспертов Singularity University и участник ранних стартапов в сфере ИИ Питер Уичер. Если инвестировать в цифровую технологию слишком рано, то внедрение и распространение будет чересчур долгим и дорогим. А если опоздать, то придется платить огромные деньги за патенты, чтобы наверстать упущенное.

В качестве примера Уичер приводит искусственный интеллект. В 1987 году он вместе с коллегами предложил решение на основе ИИ для крупных банков, которое помогало анализировать заемщиков и сделки. Но система работала в 20 раз медленнее кредитного специалиста. А технологии, способные ее ускорить, появились только через несколько лет.

Обратный пример — крупнейшая американская сеть видеопроката Blockbuster. В 2008 году ее руководство скептически смотрело на цифровизацию и даже заявляло, что не считает Netflix потенциальным конкурентом. Два года спустя сеть подала заявление о банкротстве.

Стадия 2: Deception (заблуждение)

Таких кейсов множество в недавней истории бизнеса. Подрывные технологии не сразу дают о себе знать, вводя в заблуждение старожилов рынка. «Если стартап называют подрывным, вы можете отметить это для себя. Но самые большие угрозы для вашего бизнеса — это те, которых вы не видите. Копайте глубже и принимайте все угрозы всерьез, даже если эти компании начинают с более низких прибылей и меньшего целевого рынка, чем вы ожидаете от достойного конкурента», — советует основатель нескольких стартапов из Пало-Альто Питер Дейзим.

Для тех, кто хочет быть «подрывником», это тоже сложная фаза, добавляет Питер Уичер. Адреналин после запуска быстро кончается вместе с финансированием. К тому же незрелые технологии дороги и неудобны, их сложно продвигать на рынке. Поэтому эксперт рекомендует стартапам всегда держать в голове конечную цель и трезво оценивать предстоящий маршрут.

Стадия 3: Disruption (разрушение)

После обманчивого затишья кривая экспоненциального роста, наконец, устремляется вверх, сметая по пути игроков с многолетней историей.

«Гигантская отрасль, насчитывающая более ста лет, рухнула и превратилась в еще одну поучительную историю о разрушительном характере экспоненциального роста», — отмечает Диамандис.

Судьбу Kodak могут повторить игроки во многих отраслях, добавляет журналист Стивен Котлер. Написавший в соавторстве с Диамандисом несколько книг, Котлер перечисляет: «Airbnb бросает вызов отелям, беспилотные машины подрывают рынок транспорта, доставки, страхования и многие другие индустрии; роботы и 3D-печать провоцируют переворот в производстве».

При этом «подрывники» рискуют не справиться со взрывным ростом и новым рынком. Facebook не был первой социальной сетью, а Google — пионером среди поисковых систем, напоминает Уичер. Но эти компании оказались способны управлять базовыми операциями на фоне экстремально быстрого развития: изо дня в день писать качественный код, оптимизировать приложения и масштабировать инфраструктуру.

Эксперт предупреждает, что операционная часть бизнеса и логистика не так увлекательны, как создание технологий. Но без внимания к ним бурный рост может обернуться крахом.

Стадия 4: Demonetization (демонетизация)

На этом этапе деньги исключаются из уравнения: продукты или услуги становятся полностью или почти бесплатными. По этому поводу Диамандис снова вспоминает Kodak. Компания зарабатывала на продаже фотопленки, но с появлением «цифры» люди перестали ее покупать. Кому нужна пленка, если есть мегапиксели, которые бесплатно прилагаются к любой цифровой камере?

Бывший главред Wired Крис Андерсон в своей книге «Бесплатно: будущее радикальных цен» подчеркивал, что один из самых простых способов заработать в современной экономике — это раздавать вещи. Одними из первых это усвоили телеком-операторы. Во многих странах они уже предлагают технические устройства в подарок при подключении к своим услугам.

Сегодня самые сложные приложения можно реализовать на основе открытого кода, а потребители давно привыкли к бесплатным приложениям, сервисам и знаниям, напоминает Диамандис. Чтобы развиваться, компаниям придется это учесть.

Стадия 5: Dematerialization (дематериализация)

Следом за деньгами из рыночного уравнения может исчезнуть сам продукт или услуга. Так, беды Kodak не закончились на отказе потребителей от фотопленки. После цифровой камеры появились смартфоны, и сама камера «дематериализовалась».

Похожий путь прошли видеокамеры, устройства GPS, карты, книжные библиотеки, диктофоны и магнитофоны, часы и калькуляторы. Теперь все это доступно в виде приложений в заурядном смартфоне.

Но, вероятно, и сами смартфоны постигнет та же участь: их могут потеснить носимые устройства. По оценке Gartner, этот рынок растет на 15-20% ежегодно. Носимые девайсы постепенно вбирают в себя функции смартфонов, выводя их на новый уровень. К примеру, вместо обычной навигации в «умных» очках внедряют дополненную реальность.

Количество цифровых голосовых помощников, используемых во всем мире с 2019 по 2024 год (млрд)

Голосовые помощники — еще одно направление дематериализации. По данным Statista, к 2024 году в мире будет использоваться около 8,4 млрд таких ассистентов.

Стадия 6: Democratization (демократизация)

Когда масштаб предоставления цифрового продукта или услуги становится огромным, их реальная стоимость начинает стремиться к нулю. Затраты падают настолько низко, что делают технологию общедоступной. Например, обмен фотографиями стал мгновенным и полностью бесплатным, когда на рынке появились крупные цифровые платформы вроде Flickr.

По словам Питера Диамандиса, то же самое вскоре произойдет с услугами беспроводного интернета. «Google и Facebook участвуют в «гонке вооружений», планируя потратить миллиарды на запуск беспилотных летательных аппаратов, воздушных шаров и спутников, способных обеспечить бесплатный или сверхдешевый доступ в интернет для каждого человека на Земле», — напоминает основатель Singularity University.

Он также предупреждает, что последние три стадии развития подрывных технологий могут буквально за сутки перевернуть целые индустрии. И если в начале XX века средняя продолжительность жизни компаний из списка S&P 500 составляла 67 лет, то теперь эта цифра становится все меньше. «Для линейно мыслящих компаний шесть стадий экспоненциального роста — это шесть всадников апокалипсиса. В этом сомнений нет», — заключает Диамандис.

Top Disruptive Technologies to Watch Out for in 2022

Table of Contents

Let’s face it—the last coupe of years have been very challenging for all due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this reality, we’re still charging on into the future.

New advances in technology are still disrupting our lives—in many cases—for the best. Note that some of them are already in place, but they are still evolving and changing at a rapid pace, meaning the impact of these advances will only amplify.

Here is a list of top disruptive technologies we are seeing in 2022:

What Is Disruptive Technology?

Disruptive technology is an innovation that causes major change in the way consumers, businesses and industries operate. A disruptive technology has the potential to replace the existing systems or habits through its attributes that are measurable and superior.

In simple terms disruptive technology is a new technology that significantly changes the way an existing market or industry operates. Disruptive technologies are often initially met with resistance from incumbent businesses because they threaten to upend the status quo. However, over time, they can completely transform how an industry functions. Some examples of disruptive technologies include personal computers, online shopping, and ride-sharing apps.

Potential of Disruptive Technology

The potential of disruptive technology is often underestimated. This is because the technology itself is often misunderstood. Disruptive technology is not necessarily new or groundbreaking. Rather, it is technology that has the potential to disrupt an existing market or industry. This type of technology can be found in a number of industries, from transportation to healthcare. In many cases, disruptive technology is not initially adopted by the mainstream market. This is because it is often seen as too risky or unproven. However, over time, as the technology matures, it can gain mainstream adoption. This can lead to a number of benefits, including lower prices, improved quality, and increased competition. Disruptive technology has the potential to revolutionize an industry. It can make products and services better, faster, and more affordable. In some cases, it can even create entirely new markets.

Blockchain as an Example of Disruptive Technology

While blockchain is often associated with Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, the technology can have much broader applications. In fact, blockchain is an example of disruptive technology, which refers to a new technology that significantly changes the way that business is conducted.

Blockchain is a distributed database that allows for secure, transparent and tamper-proof transactions. The technology is particularly well-suited for financial transactions, but it can be used for a wide range of other applications as well.

One of the most important features of blockchain is that it is decentralized, which means that it is not controlled by any single entity. This has a number of advantages, including increased security and transparency.

Blockchain is still in its early stages of development and it remains to be seen how far the technology will spread. However, it has the potential to revolutionize a wide range of industries and we are only just beginning to see its potential applications.

Investing in Disruptive Technology

When considering an investment in a company that is developing a disruptive technology, it is important to do your research and to understand the risks involved. You should also keep in mind that these investments can be highly speculative and that there is no guarantee that the technology will be successful. With that said, investing in disruptive technology can be a great way to get in on the ground floor of an innovative new company. These investments can offer high potential rewards, but they also come with a higher degree of risk.

Examples of Disruptive Technology

While new technologies are being developed all the time, not all of them are disruptive. To be considered disruptive, a technology must meet certain criteria. First, it must be significantly different from existing technologies in the market. Second, it must be able to create a new market or significantly change an existing one. And finally, it must have the potential to displace established technologies or create new market leaders. Some specific examples of disruptive technology include:

3D Printing

While we don’t yet have matter replicators like seen on Star Trek, 3D printing is a good start. With the proper equipment, software, and raw material, we can “print” various objects. This chart shows how 3D printing use is rising and where it’s projected to go.

Since 3D printing lets people create what they need in-house, the technology could disrupt mass-production manufacturing and goods transportation.

5G and Improved Connectivity

Fifth-generation mobile connectivity is here, providing more incredible speed and higher quality video streaming. This increased speed will make remote working a more viable option because you have compatibility with previous versions of the protocols, higher global connectivity, more bandwidth and video capacity, tighter security controls, and more. There will be countless opportunities in this mobile networking field as it continues to grow and evolve.

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

AI is already a big part of our lives, but it hasn’t reached its full potential in either capabilities or ubiquity. Although artificial intelligence is making significant inroads in the customer service industry, it still has a long way to go.

Artificial intelligence helps businesses understand the changing nature of human habits and behavior and better predict the next hot item. AI developments result in more sophisticated algorithms, aiding marketers to adapt to new markets and trends.

Thanks to these benefits, AI is a technological field that can explode into a multi-trillion dollar industry.

Artificial intelligence and machine learning contribute significantly to automation and robotics, which leads us to:

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Automation and Robotics

We’ve seen the rise of drones, self-driving trucks, and robots in the manufacturing sector, but this is just the beginning. There have already been gigabytes of text written about how robotics is a disruptive force in the workforce, replacing humans with cheaper, more reliable machines. It’s easy to find dire predictions of massive unemployment in the wake of a machine takeover. According to this article, over 120 million workers world-wide will need to be retrained over the next few years, owing to robots and AI.

While there will undoubtedly be some attrition in the labor force, the picture isn’t as bleak as the prophets of doom would have you believe. After all, greater numbers of robots and automated systems mean more professionals to program and maintain them. Those kinds of jobs pay more than simple assembly-line grunt work.

Our COVID-filled modern society and the unique demands demonstrate the potential usefulness of robots in administering care in assisted living situations, particularly for the elderly. Robots neither get sick nor spread infection, reducing risks for both the caregivers and their patients. Drones can handle contactless delivery of much-needed supplies such as medication.

Cyber Security Advances

Criminals practice their shady activities wherever people congregate, and since everyone’s online these days, we have cybercriminals to contend with. Even worse, cybercriminals have exploited the coronavirus crisis to their ends.

Fortunately, there are advances in cyber security to fight those threats. Because of advances in AI and machine learning, cyber security experts design better firewalls and intrusion detection tools.

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Cyber-criminals will be the ones feeling the results of advances in this disruptive technology, so that’s not a bad thing.

Edge Computing

In the mainframe age, we had giant computers connected to “dumb” terminals. Eventually, this changed into the client-server model. Now, we have the cloud. As we have moved from model-to-model, a new one has emerged.В

Edge computing is already one of the most disruptive technologies in IT. At a basic level, it is an automated way to get nearer to the cloud-like compute power you need, with better latency issues. It’s not so much eliminating the cloud as it is bringing it closer to you.

Edge computing offers less latency, increased security, and greater bandwidth. As edge computing takes off, it will continue to disrupt the larger cloud providers or shift more control to the companies that become more adept at implementing it.

Virtual and Augmented Reality

When a user gets placed in a computer-generated environment, that’s virtual reality (VR). When the user wears a headset or glasses and has computer-generated images projected onto their field of vision, that’s augmented reality (AR). Together, they comprise the field of extended reality (XR).

Fields such as healthcare and education stand to benefit significantly from VR and AR. VR can conduct medical diagnoses and examinations. Overcrowded classrooms or situations where children need to learn at home (there’s that coronavirus again) can benefit from XR solutions, assuring that every student gets the education they need without risking infection from a global pandemic.

XR methods could possibly revolutionize (i.e., disrupt) currently established means of medical practice and education.

Headless Tech

No, this has nothing to do with decapitation. It describes technology that allows businesses to decouple their front-end user interface from their back-end ecommerce data solutions. If you tell your Amazon Alexa to purchase and ship you the latest Stephen King novel, you’re using headless tech.

Since 86 percent of business leaders surveyed report increasingly rising customer acquisition costs, the ecommerce world needs more innovative, cost-effective solutions that attract and retain new users. Headless tech can be that potential game-changer, providing would-be customers with a more engaging, less time-consuming shopping experience.

As this trend catches on, it will upend the entire ecommerce model, with businesses scrambling to incorporate headless tech or get left behind in the dust. Could headless tech make traditional ecommerce purchasing methods obsolete?

The Rise of “As-a-Service” Computing

This computing model has been with us for a while now. We have software-as-a-service (SaaS), infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS), and platform-as-a-service (PaaS). These cloud-based, on-demand platforms have revolutionized the IT world. For instance, why buy a physical copy of a video game or word processing utility when you can just get access to it via a cloud subscription? Or how about Zoom, which has rocketed to worldwide popularity thanks to the pandemic?

Providers that offer scalable cloud-based solutions are riding high these days, and the cost, convenience, and reliability make cloud solutions an attractive choice. As more “as a service” options become available in more industries, people and organizations will abandon the older computing methods in favor of this far superior delivery system.

The Work-From-Home Revolution

It’s funny how a worldwide pandemic has completely turned our lives upside-down and influenced our technological innovations and development. This is unsurprising, as warfare spurns more incredible technological advances, and we are arguably at war with this deadly contagion.

Businesses wanting to continue functioning during these trying times have set up infrastructure to allow better work-at-home capabilities. Advances in related technology, some of which we’ve already discussed, make working at home a viable, efficient option.

And it needn’t be an “all or nothing” proposition. Businesses can have their employees work mostly from home but have them doing their jobs in-house one or two days a week.

If a company’s employees work from home, the business has fewer infrastructure costs, making this a flexible, cost-effective strategy. The ongoing COVID-19 situation has shown how easy it is to work from home. Will more companies embrace this after the pandemic ends, citing cost-cutting measures? Are we seeing the end of the modern office space as we know it?

Voice-Activated Searches

Are we seeing the end of the user sitting at their laptop or phone, trying to type in a search on Google? More users are turning to voice-activated searches, asking their phones where the nearest pizza place is or where they can find a deal on novelty face masks.

As more people conduct these voice-activated searches from their cars, jogging track, or local cafe, digital marketers will have to rethink their approach to improving search engine optimization (SEO). Rather than just pulling out a few keywords, marketers will find themselves having to rely more on long-tail keywords.

There will be some interesting days ahead for digital marketers.

Want to Join the Revolution in Disruptive Technologies?

Simplilearn has a vast range of learning resources ideally suited to help you embrace and benefit from the future’s disruptive technologies. If any of the technologies listed above have piqued your interest, you can take courses and gain certification in many different career-making fields.

For instance, you can gain certification in Machine Learning and its association with Artificial Intelligence. Or maybe you want to get an Introduction to Cyber Security. And since the Internet of Things appears increasingly in our everyday life, you can learn how you and your company can benefit from it. Finally, considering how many of the above technologies rely on the cloud, learn how to master cloud architecture.

Wherever your digital passions lie, Simplilearn has the bootcamps and resources you need to be ready for the disruptive technologies of the future!

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About the Author

Simplilearn is one of the world’s leading providers of online training for Digital Marketing, Cloud Computing, Project Management, Data Science, IT, Software Development, and many other emerging technologies.

Disruptive Technology

The term disruptive technology was coined by Clayton M. Christensen and introduced in his 1995 article Disruptive Technologies: Catching the Wave which he cowrote with Joseph Bower. He describes the term further in his book The Innovator’s Dilemma. Christensen describes two types of technologies: sustaining technologies and disruptive technologies. Sustaining technologies are technologies that improve product performance. These are technologies that most large companies are familiar with; technologies that involve improving a product that has an established role in the market. Most large companies are adept at turning sustaining technology challenges into achievements. Christensen claims that large companies have problems dealing with disruptive technologies. Disruptive technologies are «innovations that result in worse product performance, at least in the near term.» They are generally «cheaper, simpler, smaller, and, frequently, more convenient to use.» Disruptive technologies occur less frequently, but when they do, they can cause the failure of highly successful companies who are only prepared for sustaining technologies. Disruptive technologies cause problems because they do not initially satisfy the demands of even the high end of the market. Because of that, large companies choose to overlook disruptive technologies until they become more attractive profit-wise. Disruptive technologies, however, eventually surpass sustaining technologies in satisfying market demand with lower costs. When this happens, large companies who did not invest in the disruptive technology sooner are left behind. This, according to Christensen, is the «Innovator’s Dilemma.» [1]

In his sequel with Michael E. Raynor, The Innovator’s Solution, Christensen replaced the term disruptive technology with disruptive innovation because he recognized that few technologies are intrinsically disruptive or sustaining in character; rather, it is the business model that the technology enables that creates the disruptive impact. [2]

Without fixating on the current academic discourse, there are several key points about disruptive technologies:

Contents

Evolution of Disruptive Technology

Below is a diagrammatic representation of the evolution of Disruptive Technology

Stages of Disruption [4]

Disruptive Tech Trends [5]

3D Printing: Much-hyped additive manufacturing has yet to replace traditional manufacturing technologies, but that could change as systems get cheaper and smarter. “In the future, 3D printing could redefine the sale and distribution of physical goods,” the authors of the above noted book say. Think buying an electric blueprint of a shoe, then going home and printing it out. The book notes that “the manufacturing process will ‘democratize’ as consumers and entrepreneurs start to print their own products.”