Causing disturbance or interruption to normal processes. In business, refers to innovations that significantly alter or replace existing markets or technologies.
From Latin 'disruptus,' past participle of 'disrumpere' meaning 'to break apart' (dis- apart + rumpere to break). The modern business sense was popularized by Clayton Christensen's theory of disruptive innovation in the 1990s.
Clayton Christensen's concept of 'disruptive innovation' transformed how we understand technological and business change, showing how simple, affordable innovations can eventually overthrow established industries. Examples include how digital cameras disrupted film, or how streaming services disrupted traditional television.
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