Startups Need to ‘Stop Disrupting and Start Innovating’

Posted December 12, 2016

External Article: Wired

Ian Bogost, professor in the Ivan Allen College School of Literature, Media, and Communication, wrote “Startups Need to ‘Stop Disrupting and Start Innovating’” for Wired.

Excerpt:

For years, "disruption" has been the rallying cry of the business of tech. And through tech's influence, disruption has become valued in education, governance and day-to-day life. But there is a bigger idea than upsetting and tearing things asunder: embracing them as they already are and finding respectful, true - and therefore pleasurable and beneficial - ways of improving them.

"Disruption" was popularised in Clayton M Christensen's 1997 book The Innovator's Dilemma. In it, he showed that startups can disrupt the incumbents by appealing to customers' future needs. Christensen's claims have since been disputed, but no matter. Disruption has weathered the storm. Now, every startup wants to disrupt something, from taxis, hotels and shopping to pooing, ageing and even death.

For the full article, read here.