Skip to Main Content
HBS Home
  • About
  • Academic Programs
  • Alumni
  • Faculty & Research
  • Baker Library
  • Giving
  • Harvard Business Review
  • Initiatives
  • News
  • Recruit
  • Map / Directions
Faculty & Research
  • Faculty
  • Research
  • Featured Topics
  • Academic Units
  • …→
  • Harvard Business School→
  • Faculty & Research→
Publications
Publications
  • December 2015
  • Article
  • Harvard Business Review

What Is Disruptive Innovation?

By: Clayton M. Christensen, Michael Raynor and Rory McDonald
  • Format:Print
ShareBar

Abstract

For the past 20 years, the theory of disruptive innovation has been enormously influential in business circles and a powerful tool for predicting which industry entrants will succeed. Unfortunately, the theory has also been widely misunderstood, and the "disruptive" label has been applied too carelessly anytime a market newcomer shakes up well-established incumbents. In this article, the architect of disruption theory, Clayton M. Christensen and his coauthors, correct some of the misinformation, describe how the thinking on the subject has evolved, and discuss the utility of the theory. They start by clarifying what classic disruption entails—a small enterprise targeting overlooked customers with a novel but modest offering and gradually moving upmarket to challenge the industry leaders. They point out that Uber, commonly hailed as a disrupter, doesn't actually fit the mold, and they explain that if managers don't understand the nuances of disruption theory or apply its tenets correctly, they may not make the right strategic choices. Common mistakes, the authors say, include failing to view disruption as a gradual process (which may lead incumbents to ignore significant threats) and blindly accepting the "Disrupt or be disrupted" mantra (which may lead incumbents to jeopardize their core business as they try to defend against disruptive competitors). The authors acknowledge that disruption theory has certain limitations. But they are confident that as research continues, the theory's explanatory and predictive powers will only improve.

Keywords

Disruptive Innovation; Theory

Citation

Christensen, Clayton M., Michael Raynor, and Rory McDonald. "What Is Disruptive Innovation?" Harvard Business Review 93, no. 12 (December 2015): 44–53.
  • Find it at Harvard
  • Read Now

More from the Authors

    • December 2024
    • Faculty Research

    Disruptive Innovation: How Can We Beat Our Most Powerful Competitors? (Abridged)

    By: Clayton M. Christensen and Derek C. M. van Bever
    • October 2023
    • Faculty Research

    Managing Innovation at Atrium Health: 'Never Let a Good Crisis Go To Waste' (Abridged)

    By: Derek van Bever, Rory McDonald and Anibha Singh
    • December 2022
    • Administrative Science Quarterly

    Shaping Nascent Industries: Innovation Strategy and Regulatory Uncertainty in Personal Genomics

    By: Cheng Gao and Rory McDonald
More from the Authors
  • Disruptive Innovation: How Can We Beat Our Most Powerful Competitors? (Abridged) By: Clayton M. Christensen and Derek C. M. van Bever
  • Managing Innovation at Atrium Health: 'Never Let a Good Crisis Go To Waste' (Abridged) By: Derek van Bever, Rory McDonald and Anibha Singh
  • Shaping Nascent Industries: Innovation Strategy and Regulatory Uncertainty in Personal Genomics By: Cheng Gao and Rory McDonald
ǁ
Campus Map
Harvard Business School
Soldiers Field
Boston, MA 02163
→Map & Directions
→More Contact Information
  • Make a Gift
  • Site Map
  • Jobs
  • Harvard University
  • Trademarks
  • Policies
  • Accessibility
  • Digital Accessibility
Copyright © President & Fellows of Harvard College.