It is tempting to want to see the positives of technology disruption as distinct from the disruptive nature of the person or organization causing disr

Hardcore Software by Steven Sinofsky

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2024-11-26 04:00:02

It is tempting to want to see the positives of technology disruption as distinct from the disruptive nature of the person or organization causing disruption. As we all know it is pretty easy to be disruptive in meetings, the workplace, or online without being a force for a disruptive innovation. That causes us to wonder if it is possible to lead such change without being disruptive. In practice being disruptive is probably a necessary part of bringing a disruptive change to the world. It is not pleasant for either the incumbent or the protagonist, but it might be a necessary part of getting something done.

The concept of “disruptive” technologies or more broadly disruption in business goes back to the 1940s and economist Joseph Schumpeter and his concept called “ creative destruction”. Creative destruction in the simplest terms is “the deliberate dismantling of established processes in order to make way for improved methods of production”. It can be applied to a broad set of circumstances across technology, government, finance, media, and more. As an economist he was keenly aware of the effects of such destruction, both the intended and unintended, or byproducts of such a seemingly violent way to innovate.

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