INNOBLOG

Each issue of S&I, we feature a person who is in the trenches of disruption. Recently, we heard from Horace Dediu and Chris Briglin, who work in Nokias Enterprise Solutions developing new market entry strategies and business models. Nokia Enterprise Solutions develops devices and server products that improve mobile worker productivity. An excerpt of their writing follows, but the full article can be read by subscribing here.

Disruptive innovation theory can be a powerful management tool to help define a companys path to future growth. To extract real value from the theory, however, weve needed to work diligently to fully understand the power and limitations of disruption.
Harvard Business School Professor Clayton Christensen refers to this in-depth training as getting a disruptive black belt. At Nokia, we have found that the learning process is perhaps just as onerous and time-consuming as getting a real black belt in martial arts.
The correct use of the theories is a matter not only of practice, but of continuous trial and, unfortunately, error. This persistent practice pays real dividends that can improve company performance"and lead to real career distinction.

Our journey at Nokia Enterprise Solutions business group has revealed four primary insights:
1. Begin by rigorously studying your past patterns of innovation
2. The only constant in disruptive innovation is change
3. New resources, processes, and values need buy-in from the top
4. Answering questions is easy, asking the right ones is hard