Identifying Disruptive Innovation: Innovation Theory and the Defense Industry

Innovations: Technology, Governance, Globalization, Vol. 4, No. 2, Spring 2009

20 Pages Posted: 8 Jul 2009

See all articles by Peter Dombrowski

Peter Dombrowski

Strategic Research Department, Naval War College

Eugene Gholz

University of Texas - LBJ School of Public Affairs

Date Written: Spring 2009

Abstract

This article improves Clayton Christensen's widely cited theory of innovation and applies it to explain recent developments in the U.S. defense industry. We clarify Christensen's categorization of innovations, and expand the theory's scope to products with multiple quality attributes and markets that have a 'demand pull' for innovation. We then demonstrate that military leaders have misdiagnosed the current wave of innovation by casually claiming that it is disruptive. These improvements to Christensen's theory could help improve military investment decisions.

Keywords: disruptive innovation, technology management, military transformation, defense industry

Suggested Citation

Dombrowski, Peter and Gholz, Eugene, Identifying Disruptive Innovation: Innovation Theory and the Defense Industry (Spring 2009). Innovations: Technology, Governance, Globalization, Vol. 4, No. 2, Spring 2009, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1431506

Peter Dombrowski

Strategic Research Department, Naval War College ( email )

686 Cushing Road
Newport, RI 02841
United States

Eugene Gholz (Contact Author)

University of Texas - LBJ School of Public Affairs ( email )

Austin, TX 78713
United States

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