Upfront disruptive technologies? back to the code!!

I spent the last weeks in attending a lot of meetings (oh, God, has someone invented 3D avatars to go in my place?), presentations and some good ideas (most of the time) from some CEO's, technical evangelists or some past glorious executives...and one topic is now clearly back on the agenda...it's about disruptive technologies (and innovation, again).

But what is this all about? Disruptive technologies, implying that any new technology would not disrupt the traditional business model, established market or long-time service provider? Seriously? Well, I learned around two decades ago that Michael Porter invented a strategy analysis with five forces, from one of them was the 'Treat of new entrants'.

And that is exactly what is happening in the customer services market, with phenomenons like Uber, AirBnB, TripAdvisor...you name it. Some brilliant ideas are transformed thanks subtle code and smart applications into billion dollars businesses, but I don't clearly see the difference.
Let's pretend you run a traditional business, a cab company or apartment rental, for example; well, you have a problem...because those solutions will be what we all want: something very easy to use, cheaper than the established system (no taxes, no intermediate levels to remunerate, from the producer to the consumer) and efficient. And there starts the dilemma because public services, unions, city councils don't know how to answer to all this innovation. Salaries need to be paid, material amortized, taxes paid etc. and this is all disappearing with an app service!

Makes me believe that the real disruptive technology behind all this is a disruptive idea (or a niche market if you remember marketing - where you identify what's missing), you code the concept...and there it starts!

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