A type of innovation that creates new markets or value networks, eventually displacing established market leaders and products.
Coined by Harvard Business School professor Clayton Christensen in his 1997 book 'The Innovator's Dilemma,' this term combines 'disruptive' (causing disturbance) with 'innovation' (new methods or ideas). It quickly became a Silicon Valley buzzword, though often misused to describe any new technology.
Christensen's original concept was quite specific - true disruptive innovations start by serving overlooked market segments with simpler, cheaper alternatives before eventually overtaking established players. The phrase has become so overused that Christensen himself has complained about its dilution in business speak.
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