The impact on the UK recorded music industry of digital music files distributed via the Internet has been studied using Clayton M. Christensen's Disruptive Innovation Theory. The study has identified that the recent innovation of Internet retail and distribution of digital music files was indeed disruptive (rather than sustaining) in nature in its impact on the established UK record manufacturers and retailers. Furthermore, Christensen's theories have been used to investigate the factors (assets, culture and capabilities) that impeded the established UK recorded music manufacturers from adopting and promoting the new technology to create a digital consumer proposition. The reluctance of the established record manufacturers to embrace and therefore control the new technology of digital music files distributed via the Internet allowed new retailers like Apple's iTunes to become the dominant providers to the new digital consumers. The study therefore considers and identifies the organisational assets, culture and capabilities that created the most successful Internet retailing operation for digital music and in so doing reveals how to incorporate and harness disruptive technology for commercial gain within the established recorded music industry. Finally, the study proposes a strategic framework for UK recorded music companies so that they can respond successfully to disruptive technologies that will in future alter their market sector, including consumer attitudes and music usage. This framework will give the record companies the opportunity to manage the impact of disruptive technologies, enabling them to adapt their business strategies and tactics to provide a service that meets consumer needs the next time an innovative technology impacts the established manufacturing and retailing paradigm.

Background and problem: The perception of luxury fashion has been shaped throughout history with well-known brands’ innovative strategies and designs. Along with its crafts and arts, exclusivity has been one of the main pillars of luxury fashion, creating the perception of luxury fashion products only being available to the ‘elite’; which has been feasible to maintain in an analog society. However, as luxury fashion brands have moved into the digital landscape; using digital channels such as e-commerce, social media, and disruptive technologies such as augmented reality, virtual clothing; distribution channels have opened up, contradicting traditional practises.  It has been found that it is the consumers’ perception that determines luxury brands separation from the ordinary. Raising the question of how consumers may perceive luxury fashion brands when operating in the digital landscape; since the use of digital channels and disruptive technologies contradicts with the characteristics defining luxury fashion, in particular exclusivity.   Purpose: In order to contribute to literature and create new understandings of the digitalisation of the luxury fashion industry; the purpose of this study is to explore how consumers perceive luxury fashion brands’ use of digital channels and disruptive technologies, specifically regarding the perception of exclusivity.                         Method: The study broadly followed an interpretivist research philosophy where qualitative data was collected by conducting eight semi-structured focus groups with Swedish luxury fashion consumers, born between the years of 1992-2000. The empirical findings were analysed through the general analytical approach, and thereafter discussed in relation to the frame of reference.  Conclusion: The findings suggest that consumers perceive that luxury fashion brands’ use of digital channels and disruptive technologies are diluting the perception of exclusivity, as luxury fashion becomes more accessible and visible with an increased attainability.

No / Media content is becoming ubiquitous and globally accessible, and can be held and accessed just as easily on a global network as on local devices which are increasingly intelligent and network ready. Digital intelligence is becoming seamless and invisible, enabling more attention to be paid to the content and the user’s interaction with it. The effects of convergence on the media landscape are substantial. Traditional media distribution channels are increasingly in the hands of the consumer rather than the distributor. News information can be generated by the general public by means of mobile devices and have a dynamic global impact via social networking sites. Political elections are being influenced in real time by information circulating on social networks in addition to the more formal statements of policy. This paper explores some of these transformative effects, the disruptive effects on traditional business models, and their implications for the future.

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Yes / The evolving field of disruptive technologies has recently gained significant interest in various industries, including agriculture. The fourth industrial revolution has reshaped the context of Agricultural Technology (AgriTech) with applications of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and a strong focus on data-driven analytical techniques. Motivated by the advances in AgriTech for agrarian operations, the study presents a state-of-the-art review of the research advances which are, evolving in a fast pace over the last decades (due to the disruptive potential of the technological context). Following a systematic literature approach, we develop a categorisation of the various types of AgriTech, as well as the associated AI-driven techniques which form the continuously shifting definition of AgriTech. The contribution primarily draws on the conceptualisation and awareness about AI-driven AgriTech context relevant to the agricultural operations for smart, efficient, and sustainable farming. The study provides a single normative reference for the definition, context and future directions of the field for further research towards the operational context of AgriTech. Our findings indicate that AgriTech research and the disruptive potential of AI in the agricultural sector are still in infancy in Operations Research. Through the systematic review, we also intend to inform a wide range of agricultural stakeholders (farmers, agripreneurs, scholars and practitioners) and to provide research agenda for a growing field with multiple potentialities for the future of the agricultural operations.

This monograph contributes to the methodology of Agent-based Computational Economics. First, we introduce a generic simulation framework suitable for agent-based simulations featuring the support of heterogeneous agents, hierarchical scheduling, and flexible specification of design parameters. For the latter, we use an XML-based format enabling the design of flexible models, with the possibility of varying both agent population and parameterization. Further, the tool allows the definition of communication channels to single agents, or groups thereof, and handles the information exchange. Both agents and communication channels can be added and removed at runtime. To handle the heterogeneity arising from both the agents' implementations and the underlying platforms, we introduce an XML-based wrapper technique for mapping the functionality of agents living in an interpreter-based environment to a standardized JAVA interface. Second, we present a collection of artificial economic actors to be used with this framework. Their interplay is demonstrated in two fields of management science: marketing and technological choice. In the field of marketing, the question of choosing the optimal segmentation techniques for market segmentation is investigated, comparing the performance of firm agents with diverse segmentation strategies in a highly customizable artificial consumer market. In the second application, we study the influence of technological efficiency and organizational inertia on the emergence of competition when firms decide myopically. We observe the competitive reaction of a former monopolist to the advent of a new competitor to assess when new, "disruptive" technologies cause the failure of incumbent firms and investigate simple defensive strategies. (author's abstract)

Drastic changes in aircraft operational requirements and the emergence of new enabling technologies often occur symbiotically with advances in technology inducing new requirements and vice versa. These changes sometimes lead to the design of vehicle concepts for which no prior art exists. They lead to revolutionary concepts. In such cases the basic form of the vehicle geometry can no longer be determined through an ex ante survey of prior art as depicted by aircraft concepts in the historical domain. Ideally, baseline geometries for revolutionary concepts would be the result of exhaustive configuration space exploration and optimization. Numerous component layouts and their implications for the minimum external dimensions of the resultant vehicle would be evaluated. The dimensions of the minimum enclosing envelope for the best component layout(s) (as per the design need) would then be used as a basis for the selection of a baseline geometry. Unfortunately layout design spaces are inherently large and the key contributing analysis i.e. collision detection, can be very expensive as well. Even when an appropriate baseline geometry has been identified, another hurdle i.e. vehicle scaling has to be overcome. Through the design of a notional Cessna C-172R powered by a liquid hydrogen Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell, it has been demonstrated that the various forms of vehicle scaling i.e. photographic and historical-data-based scaling can result in highly sub-optimal results even for very small O(10-3) scale factors. There is therefore a need for higher fidelity vehicle scaling laws especially since emergent technologies tend to be volumetrically and/or gravimetrically constrained when compared to incumbents. The Configuration-space Exploration and Scaling Methodology (CESM) is postulated herein as a solution to the above-mentioned challenges. This bottom-up methodology entails the representation of component or sub-system geometries as matrices of points in 3D space. These typically large matrices are reduced using minimal convex sets or convex hulls. This reduction leads to significant gains in collision detection speed at minimal approximation expense. (The Gilbert-Johnson-Keerthi algorithm is used for collision detection purposes in this methodology.) Once the components are laid out, their collective convex hull (from here on out referred to as the super-hull) is used to approximate the inner mold line of the minimum enclosing envelope of the vehicle concept. A sectional slicing algorithm is used to extract the sectional dimensions of this envelope. An offset is added to these dimensions in order to come up with the sectional fuselage dimensions. Once the lift and control surfaces are added, vehicle level objective functions can be evaluated and compared to other designs. For each design, changes in the super-hull dimensions in response to perturbations in requirements can be tracked and regressed to create custom geometric scaling laws. The regressions are based on dimensionally consistent parameter groups in order to come up with dimensionally consistent and thus physically meaningful laws. CESM enables the designer to maintain design freedom by portably carrying multiple designs deeper into the design process. Also since CESM is a bottom-up approach, all proposed baseline concepts are implicitly volumetrically feasible. Furthermore the scaling laws developed from custom data for each concept are subject to less design noise than say, regression based approaches. Through these laws, key physics-based characteristics of vehicle subsystems such as energy density can be mapped onto key system level metrics such as fuselage volume or take-off gross weight. These laws can then substitute some historical-data based analyses thereby improving the fidelity of the analyses and reducing design time.

Potenziell disruptive Technologien sind schwer zu vermarkten, weil sie mit Werten verbunden sind, die für etablierte Unternehmen neu sind. Ohne geeignete Geschäftsmodellinnovation gelingt es den etablierten Unternehmen nicht, neue, potenziell disruptive Technologien auf den Markt zu bringen. Die aufkeimende Literatur über disruptive Innovationen bietet nur begrenzte Empfehlungen zu spezifischen Geschäftsmodellelementen, die dazu dienen können, potenziell disruptive Technologien zu integrieren. Um diese Forschungslücke zu schließen, wird in dieser Arbeit untersucht, wie große Pharmaunternehmen Biotechnologien in die Gestaltung ihrer Geschäftsmodellinnovation einbezogen haben, um erfolgreiche Elemente der Geschäftsmodellgestaltung zu ermitteln. Es wird ein qualitativer Forschungsansatz gewählt, der aus drei Studien besteht. Zunächst werden nach einer systematischen Literaturrecherche zur Geschäftsmodellforschung in der pharmazeutischen Industrie 45 Arbeiten ausgewählt und qualitativ ausgewertet. Zweitens werden qualitative halbstrukturierte Interviews mit 16 Experten in großen Pharmaunternehmen geführt. Die Transkripte werden mit der Methode der Qualitativen Inhaltsanalyse ausgewertet. Schließlich wird eine Clusteranalyse durchgeführt, um den von allen digitalen Angeboten großer Pharmaunternehmen vorgeschlagenen und gelieferten Wert zu ermitteln. In dieser Arbeit werden erstmals zwei Geschäftsmodelle großer Pharmaunternehmen aus der Zeit vor und nach der Einführung der Biotechnologien beschrieben. In dieser Arbeit wird argumentiert, dass für die Anpassung an potenziell disruptive Technologien folgende Geschäftsmodellelemente empfohlen werden: Kollaborationsportfolios und digitale Servitisierung. Erstens sollten etablierte Unternehmen ein Portfolio von Kooperationsformaten entwickeln, indem sie die Breite der Partner (einschließlich der Wettbewerber) diversifizieren und alle Aktivitäten in ihrer Wertschöpfungskette abdecken. Zweitens sollten die etablierten Unternehmen den Wert, den sie anbieten, und die Art und Weise, wie sie diesen Wert für etablierte und neue Kundensegmente bereitstellen, innovativ gestalten, indem sie ihre Produkte mit ergänzenden Dienstleistungen bündeln, insbesondere mit solchen, die digital ermöglicht werden. Digitale Dienstleistungen dienen dazu, die Bedürfnisse der Kunden mit denen des Herstellers zu verknüpfen. Neben der Weiterentwicklung der Theorie über disruptive Innovationen können die empfohlenen Elemente des Geschäftsmodells von führenden mittelständischen Pharmaunternehmen (z. B. Fresenius oder Servier) und Unternehmen aus anderen Branchen direkt genutzt werden, um andere potenziell disruptive Technologien zu vermarkten. Diese Forschung unterstützt politische Entscheidungsträger bei der Entwicklung von Strategien zur Förderung der Kommerzialisierung potenziell disruptiver Innovationen in ihrem spezifischen Kontext. / Potentially disruptive technologies are challenging to commercialize because they are associated with values new to established firms. Without fitting business model innovation, incumbent firms fail to bring new potentially disruptive technologies to the market. The burgeoning literature on disruptive innovation provides only limited recommendations on specific business model elements that can serve to accommodate potentially disruptive technologies. To close this research gap, this thesis explores how big pharmaceutical firms accommodated biotechnologies in the design of their business model innovation to discover successful business model design elements. A qualitative research approach consisting in three studies is adopted. First, following a systematic literature review on business model research in the pharmaceutical industry, 45 papers are selected and qualitatively analyzed. Second, qualitative semi-structured interviews are conducted with 16 experts in big pharmaceutical firms. The transcripts are analyzed using the qualitative content analysis method. Finally, a cluster analysis is conducted to identify value proposed and delivered by all digital offers of big pharmaceutical firms. This thesis is the first to describe two business model designs of big pharmaceutical firms from before and since the accommodation of biotechnologies. This research argues that business model designs recommended for the accommodation of potentially disruptive technologies are collaboration portfolios and digital servitization. First, established firms should devise a portfolio of collaboration formats by diversifying breadth of partners (including competitors), and by covering all activities in their value chain. Second, incumbent firms should innovate in the value they offer and how they deliver it to mainstream and new customer segments though bundling their products with complementary services, especially those that are digitally enabled. Digital services serve for back-coupling customers’ needs with the producer. Besides advancing theory on disruptive innovation, the recommended business model design elements can be directly used by top midsize pharmaceutical firms (e.g., Fresenius or Servier) and firms from other industries to commercialize other potentially disruptive technologies. This research supports policy makers in devising strategies for the promotion of the commercialization of potentially disruptive innovations in their specific contexts.

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In vandag se besigheidswêreld bestaan twee teenoorgestelde pole. Aan die een kant is die wêreld se gevorderde markte wat reeds so oorbevolk geraak het, dat dubbelsyfergroei ‘n skaars verskynsel is. Ten spyte hiervan word aanhoudende druk geplaas op senior bestuur om hulle besighede te groei teen koerse wat ‘n toename in aandeelhouersbelang sal verseker. Aan die ander kant is twee derdes van die wêreld se bevolking (4 Miljard mense), die sogenaamde basis van die ekonomiese piramiede (BVP), wat in armoede lewe en afgeskeep word in terme van noodsaaklike goedere en dienste, om nie eens te praat van weelde artikels nie. In dié markte is dubbelsyfergroei nog behaalbaar en in meeste gevalle is die enigste kompetisie die gevaar dat produkte nie verbruik word nie. Dié navorsing kyk na hoe dié twee pole geïntegreer kan word sodat beide daaruit kan voordeel trek. Besighede kan volhoubare vlakke van groei bewerkstellig deur ewe veel aandag te skenk aan volhoubare innovasies as ontwrigtende innovasies. Die klem wat gemaak word in dié navorsingsverlsag is dat besighede dit nie kan bekostig om net op volhoubare innovasies te fokus nie. Hulle moet ook in ontwrigtende innovasie strategieë belê. Die innovasie teorieë bepaal dat opkomende markte die beste plek is om ontwrigtende innovasies te ontwikkel. Verskeie multi-nasionale maatskappye het al egter misluk om die belowende massa-markte binne opkomende markte te penetreer. Die rede is dat baie van hul globale strategieë mik na die ontwikkelde marksegmente binne-in daardie ontwikkelende markte en nie op die massa-markte aan die BVP nie. Om tegnologieë te ontwikkel vir die BVP verg plaaslike strategieë en, onder andere, ‘n kwantum sprong in die prys-werkverrigting verhouding. In baie gevalle kan dit ‘n daling in prys wees met soveel as ‘n faktor van tien. Indien suksesvol, bestaan die moontlik dan om dié tegnologieë terug te vat om gevorderde markte te ontwrig. Daar is egter ook ‘n humanitêre sy van die saak. Elke jaar is armoede indirek verantwoordelik vir miljoene sterftes in Afrika en baie oorlewendes leef in haglike omstandighede sonder noodsaaklike goedere en dienste, terwyl hulle uitgebuit word deur ‘n paar informele besighede. Die BVP bied aan die gevorderde ekonomieë van die wêreld nie net die geleentheid om baie geld te maak nie, maar ook die geleentheid om op só ‘n manier besigheid te doen dat dit arm mense kan help om ‘n inkomste te verdien of selfs inkomste te genereer. Dit kan op baie verskillende maniere help om dié mense te lig vanuit armoede. Dit wil voorkom asof besigheid en die moontlikheid om welvaart te skep die mees effektiewe manier is om die BVP te lig vanuit armoede. Die BVP het egter die kennis, verantwoordelike besigheids-sin en die onderhandelingskrag van multi-nasionale besighede nodig om te verseker dat besigheid in dié markte op ‘n verantwoordlike, volhoubare manier geskied. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In today’s world of business two opposite poles exist. On the one end is the world’s developed economy that has become saturated to such an extent that double digit growth has become a scarcity. However despite this fact continuous pressure is being placed on managers to grow their companies at a rate that will ensure an increase in shareholder value. On the other end are two thirds of the world’s population (4 billion people), the base of the economic pyramid (BOP) that is desperately poor and underserved in terms of basic needs, let alone luxury items. Double digit growth is achievable in these markets with the only competition being non-consumption in many cases. This research looks at how these two poles can be integrated into a mutually beneficial relationship. Companies could ensure sustaining levels of growth if there is an equal focus on sustainable as well as disruptive innovations. The case made in this research report is that companies cannot afford to focus on sustainable innovations alone, but need to invest in disruptive innovations as well. The innovation theories hold that the best place to test and develop disruptive innovations is in emerging markets. However too many multinational corporations (MNCs) have failed to access the illusive mass markets within emerging economies. It seems that their strategies were focussed on the developed segments within those emerging markets and not on the masses that constitute the BOP. Developing technologies for the BOP requires a local strategy and, amongst other things, a quantum leap in the price-performance ratio - in many cases a typical reduction in price by a factor of ten. The possibility then exists to take these solutions back to disrupt developed markets. There is a human aspect to this scenario as well. Poverty has indirectly been a cause of millions of people dying in Africa every year and many survivors live in poor conditions without basic services and being exploited by few informal businesses. The BOP offers an opportunity for the developed economies, not only to make a lot of money, but also to innovate their products and business models to empower poor people to start earning and generating income. This will in many ways help them to rise from poverty. It seems that growing business and generating wealth might be the most efficient vehicle to help lift the BOP from poverty. However, the BOP needs MNCs to bring their power and knowledge to these markets to ensure that it is done responsibly and in a sustainable manner.

Submitted by Filipe dos Santos (fsantos@pucsp.br) on 2018-06-15T12:33:39Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Marcelo Augusto Vieira Graglia.pdf: 15497008 bytes, checksum: f1fda85b7db5f6d79503250da9c5f3b3 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-06-15T12:33:39Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Marcelo Augusto Vieira Graglia.pdf: 15497008 bytes, checksum: f1fda85b7db5f6d79503250da9c5f3b3 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-03-22 / Fundação São Paulo - FUNDASP / This study analyzes the relationships between new technologies and disruptive innovations that stimulate the new wave of economic transformation and affect society as a whole. The goal is to investigate the mechanisms by which the jobs can be destroyed and understand the potential impacts on work, employment, and people / Este estudo analisa as relações entre novas tecnologias e inovações disruptivas que estimulam a nova onda de transformação econômica e afetam a sociedade como um todo. O objetivo é investigar os mecanismos pelos quais os empregos podem ser destruídos e compreender os impactos potenciais no trabalho, no emprego e nas pessoas