Disruption - of Course it's Unpredictable
If we ask you to explain disruption how will you reply?
There is every likelihood that you will think of tech – Uber, Amazon, Tesla, Netflix, FinTech, the internet of Everything and 5G among others.
Let us propose that there are more powerful disruptive forces that have no relationship to tech and can crush tech at will.
Did you perceive the Australian Royal Commission into banking and Justice Hayne along with his inquisitors as disrupters? Now the Australian mortgage broking industry is fighting for its existence. Senior executive careers and professions along with reputations are not simply disrupted many are destroyed.
Huawei is now under threat of not merely being disrupted but of being put out of business along with Chinese manufacturer ZTE. It is not from competition, it is from the politics of power and national security.
Many have misconstrued the US – China situation as a trade war, it is not. It is about power and sovereign nations, true disruption that is far more pervasive than tech could ever be.
The next level of disrupters are the regulators and the governments
Facebook is under attack from the US Congress. Google has been fined billions by the EU and here in Australia the ACCC has fined Apple, Optus, Telstra and many others across industry sectors. The ACCC held an enquiry into the market power of the big tech companies and has issued a warning that they will disrupt their business models.
So, there are not so apparent disrupters and hidden vested influences you must be aware of and factor into your business strategy and day to day operations. You, your managers and employees must make every effort to be aware and informed and not just accept the common views expressed in traditional media.
Author: Kevin Beck, Associate nem Australasia
This article is based on research and opinion available in the public domain.