Disruptive technology and the board: the tip of the iceberg

Abstract

This paper reviews the disruptive technologies literature and the potential impact disruptive technologies will have in the boardroom. Changes in industries and the growth of technology are creating a new paradigm shift in industries and strategic planning within the corporate world. Disruptive technologies are changing the very fabric of our decision making and how we deliver products and services. The last ten years have seen exponential growth in research on disruptive technologies and their impact on industries, supply chains, resources, training, education and employment markets. Current research predicts changes in how we will conduct our daily lives and, ultimately, in the workforce of the future. Predictions are seldom totally correct as the technologies often move in directions we failed to anticipate. The debate is still open on who will be the winners and losers of future industries, but what is certain is that change has picked up pace and we are now in a new technology revolution whose impact is potentially greater than the industrial revolution. This paper gathers past research on disruptive technologies in order to better understand the pace and direction of change and how it will influence the role of boards in helping directors to adapt to manage the changing business world.