disruptive-innovation
/dɪsˈrʌp.tɪv ɪn.əˈveɪ.ʃən/ IELTSAcademic
noun
A new product, service, or technology that changes an existing market or industry. It often starts small, then makes old ways less useful.
- Smartphones were a disruptive innovation.
- Streaming became a disruptive innovation in entertainment.
- The company bet on disruptive innovation.
Adinary Nuance
Disruptive innovation is not just any innovation. It means a change that replaces older products, services, or business models, often in a big market shift. It is stronger than innovation, new idea, or breakthrough, because it focuses on the impact on an industry.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- đổi mới đột phá
- Spanish
- innovación disruptiva
- Chinese
- 颠覆性创新
- Japanese
- 破壊的イノベーション
- Korean
- 파괴적 혁신
Etymology
This phrase comes from the idea of something that “disrupts” an established system and creates “innovation.” It became widely known in business writing in the 1990s, especially through Clayton Christensen’s work.
Common phrases
disruptive innovation in healthcarea disruptive innovationdriven by disruptive innovationthe theory of disruptive innovation
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is disruptive innovation the same as innovation?
- No. Innovation means something new. Disruptive innovation changes the market and can replace older solutions.
- Is disruptive innovation formal or academic?
- It is formal and common in business and academic writing.
- Can I use disruptive innovation in everyday speech?
- Yes, but it sounds business-like. People use it most in technology, business, and education.
- What is a good example of disruptive innovation?
- Online streaming is a good example. It changed how many people watch movies and TV.