Title: Can organisations disrupt and expand from their core to sustain their operations?

Authors: Kaushik Sridhar

Addresses: Macquarie Graduate School of Management, 122, Culloden Road, Marsfield, NSW 2122, Australia

Abstract: Christensen|s concept of disruptive technology is enticing but is this notion – conceptual and financial – beyond the reach of many companies? Managing the risks is a reality, along with the necessary funds needed to enter new marketplaces. Zook suggests that nearby market opportunities adjacent to a strong core business offer one of the surest paths to new growth, whether industries are stable or changing rapidly. Companies that become practiced at finding a continued stream of adjacency moves – guided by the rules of disruptive technologies – may well find they are on the road to sustainable, solid growth while potentially causing a disruption in the market. This paper explores a way forward or shows methods for pushing out the boundaries of a company|s core businesses and technologies in predictable, repeatable ways.

Keywords: disruptive technology; adjacency moves; disruptive innovation; sustaining innovation; Australian retail industry; case study; risk management; market opportunities; core business; core technology.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSOM.2011.039663

International Journal of Services and Operations Management, 2011 Vol.8 No.4, pp.433 - 448

Published online: 11 Mar 2015 *

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