Making friends with disruptive technology: ‐ an interview with Clayton M. Christensen

In this interview, the author of The Innovator’s Dilemma reviews his theory of how businesses are affected by disruptive technology. Most business leaders are aware of sustaining technologies, which can be simple incremental improvements or radical, up‐market technology innovations that leap‐frog ahead of the competition. However, they tend to ignore disruptive technologies, which initially provide neither a better product nor acceptable margins. By ignoring disruptive technology, companies forfeit the opportunity to ensure long‐term growth and prosperity. Business leaders must help their organizations develop new business models that utilize the disruptive technologies if they are to survive and evolve over time.