Big Bang Disruption: The Speed of Change in the Digital Era

Modern businesses need to adapt to the speed at which technology changes. The past decade has seen a multitude of entrenched industries fall by the wayside in the wake of digital disruption. Businesses need to be proactive about following technological trends if they want to avoid potential disaster.

What is Big Bang Disruption?

In our current society, technology doesn’t evolve slowly. True innovation appears on the scene and then suddenly explodes, completely supplanting whatever came before it. Big Bang Disruption is driven by new technologies; with advancements on all spectrums of technology, it’s easier for new technology to gain purchase.

Technology is consequently able to suddenly and thoroughly impact the economic market. With more affordable experimentation and information, companies are able to better innovate and to race towards technologies that are more likely to be lasting and helpful.

Keeping Up With the Speed of Change

Organizations need to invest in change management to remain agile and active in this new, technologically explosive era. Change management has to be developed as a company-wide, multi-phase process. At all levels, employees have to be committed to change.

Traditionally, employees and upper management alike are reluctant to commit to change because they fear that this change will have a negative impact on operations. By promoting constant change and providing a positive reward system, employees can get past this negative perception.

To improve change management, it’s important that organizations be transparent about their change management processes and that they be clear about the value proposition for employees. It must be clear that a business will fail if the business does not continually change. The goals of each change must be thoroughly outlined.

 

How Likely is Your Industry to be Impacted?

Different industries have different rates of disruption. Much like other areas of risk management, it’s critical that you understand your industry’s likelihood of disruption before you begin making changes. If your business is in a low impact area, you may not need to invest as much into your change management processes. If you’re in a high-risk area, it’s absolutely critical that you do so.

When it comes to disruption, there are four important aspects: viability, volatility, durability, and vulnerability. Diversified chemicals, tires and rubber, and alcoholic beverages are all considered to be durable industries. On the other hand, the consumer technology, banking, and investment banking industries are experiencing volatility, as regulations and changing markets have shifted their operations.

Ultimately, disruption and change management may not be a process that can originate from within. Instead, businesses may need third-party help to develop the processes that their organization needs to continue to thrive. Contact us today at Starr & Associates to learn more about how we can help your business manage its change.

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