Different kinds of innovation A top 6 business book in its class according to The Economist, The Innovator’s Dilemma is it profound analysis of why leading companies fail to innovate and ultimately go bankrupt in the wake of disruptive innovation. The Harvard innovation management professor begins by distinguishing two different types of technologies: sustaining technologies and disruptive technologies.  Improving operations Well versed in top-notch execution incumbents excel at improving existing…

Luka Mucic - CFO and COO of SAP

About two years ago, I had an extensive discussion with François Darchis, Senior Vice-President of Air Liquide, on how to build competitive advantage. He indicated that the company had pursued multiple strategies to develop a sustainable competitive advantage. Implemented strategies included: cost reduction operational excellence Geographic expansion in BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China) François Darchis also told me that he was adding a…

Disruptive innovation is a term that may convey very different meanings. As a consequence, CEOs don’t always consider how disruptive innovation can help them transform their business, create new growth engines and develop a sustainable competitive advantage. More importantly, many decision-makers fail to understand that there’s no real alternative to disruptive innovation. The choice is between leading disruptive innovation or going bankrupt. Here’s why.

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Why should anyone care about disruptive innovation? (1/2)


The day before yesterday, I was invited at the Quai d’Orsay, where I participated in kicking off la diplomatie économique. Suggested by President François Hollande and implemented by Laurent Fabius, Minister of Foreign Affairs, the diplomatie économique aims at reaching trade surplus by 2017, not including energy. A number of French leaders were there, including Pierre Moscovici, Minister of Finance, Jean-Pierre Raffarin, former Prime…

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Anticipating disruptive innovation (2 of many…)


Last week, I introduced a pattern of disruptive innovation. My goal : anticipating disruptive innovation. This week and next week, I’ll illustrate how to anticipate disruptive by using a couple of graphs. Again, understanding why once leading companies in their industries got wiped by new entrants is critical to any business. This pattern of disruptive innovation explains why:

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What is strategy? (1 of many…)


What is strategy? In the last five years, I’ve spoken to approximately 500 executives in Fortune 500 companies in the United States and Europe. One of the things that struck me most is that everybody seems to have their own definition of what strategy means. I guess this is positive because it shows that the question is on everybody’s mind prompting everybody to formulate…