When I teach the general computer class for our students, there is always the discussion in a strategy chapter that defines disruptive innovation (or technology). Some students, from the beginning of time, think that many of the terms we teach have no relevance. However, disruptive technology is more commonplace today than ever in modern business history. Let’s use the “rewind” button on to time and look at the many “disruptions”; what caused them and what they have disrupted:
- Smart phones … Watches, alarm clocks, cameras, landline phones, etc.
- Digital cameras … Traditional film cameras, film photo processing services
- Mobile banking applications and smart phones … Processing of check deposits and manual MICR data entry for checks.
- ATMs … Tellers and traditional banking centers (a slow in growth or reduction)
- LCD projectors … Overhead projectors, transparencies
- Personal computers and word processing … Typewriters (that’s really going back in history)
- MOOCs … The apparent demise of higher education
In a recent article by Daniel Burrus titled “25 Game-Changing Trends That Will Create Disruption & Opportunity“, he describes the new opportunities (and disruptions) by implementing technology.
- Mobile applications for business processes (#12): Up to this point, these applications have been focused on functions targeted to consumer-based transactions such as banking may now be expanded to traditional business activities such as logistics, purchasing, maintenance. These applications could provide the same “self-service” environment now enjoyed by consumers for daily tasks.
- Drones for farming and agriculture (#24): The entire Amazon “deliver your product at home” by a drone may only be the tip of the technology iceberg. Drone technology is already being used for public safety (fire, police, search/rescue). Now imagine it being used to check on crops or cattle? The author suggests that the nature of the size of pastures and fields as well as their remote nature, drones with cameras seems to be a natural progression to help farmers monitor their crops and livestock.
Then there are the new buzzwords and ‘alphabet soup’ phrases for technology. You are probably tired of hearing about “big data” or software-as-a-service; two information technology strategies that have become rapidly accepted by businesses. As the Baby 2014 was born this month, so is the marriage of these services … Big Data as-a-Service (#1). I guess that this is the new word for cloud data packaged along with data analytical software. Big data and SAAS will be used even more in 2014 as business professionals search for the patterns in marketing, logistical, sales and website data.
With all of the security and data breach incidents, digital identity management (#16) will help both businesses and consumers to better control their identities across various networks. It appears that the management of authentication and authorization of various activities (login, payments, purchases, etc.) will need to be refined and secured even more in the future. There are already fingerprint scanners on some laptop computers. Some of biometric functions are already available on smart phones in a limited manner. However, we should expect that as the processing power and access moves outside of our homes and businesses to portable devices, so will the increase in security will as well.