Approximately 40% of businesses reported engaging in discontinuous innovation activities. It’s a notable rise from 30% in 2022 (2024 UK Innovation Report). Discontinuous innovation is one of many types of innovation adopted by companies. The main objective? Maintain a competitive advantage and stay relevant in a world with rapidly evolving customer needs. Discontinuous innovation initiatives are often part of an innovation strategy that includes lower-risk and more continuous strategies. With that said, successful discontinuous innovation holds the power to transform companies and revolutionize industries.
In this article, we shed light on the what, why, and how of discontinuous innovation. It includes some fascinating examples and a 5-step plan to start the implementation of discontinuous innovation in your organization.
What is discontinuous innovation?
Discontinuous innovation involves developing new products, services, or processes that drastically change the way businesses operate or how consumers interact with a market. It represents a significant shift in technology, business models, or market structures.
It nicely complements other forms of innovation, making for a comprehensive strategy when implemented alongside each other. For example, incremental innovation, which focuses on small, continuous improvements to existing products, services, or processes, enhancing performance and customer satisfaction with lower risk and shorter timelines, and continuous innovation, which is a subset of incremental innovation, ensures ongoing enhancements to maintain competitiveness and responsiveness to market demands.
Discontinuous innovation, radical innovation, and disruptive innovation are terms often used interchangeably, but they have distinct nuances. Understanding these differences is crucial for crafting a precise innovation strategy.
| Discontinuous innovation | Disruptive innovation | Radical innovation | |
| Key objective | Create new markets or transform existing ones | Enter low-end or emerging markets and gradually replace existing solutions | Introduce groundbreaking changes that redefine industry standards |
| Timeline | Long-term | Long-term, starting with initial entry into niche markets | Long-term, often requiring substantial development time |
| Risk level | High due to significant technological or business model shifts | Initially low risk but increases to high risk as it moves upmarket | High, due to the fundamental changes and substantial investment needed |
| Market focus | Any market segment, often creating entirely new markets | Initially, low-end or niche markets, moving to mainstream ones over time | Existing markets with the potential to redefine or create new standards |
| Impact | Broad market implications, significant shifts in market dynamics | Transforms industries by making simpler, more affordable options mainstream | Profound impact on industry standards, major shifts in market structure |
Importance of discontinuous innovation
Discontinuous innovation is important for enterprise companies because it allows them to align with the organization’s long-term strategic goals by introducing entirely new products or services that can disrupt the market. This type of innovation drives significant change, enabling companies to stay ahead of competitors and adapt to rapidly evolving market conditions.
Benefits of discontinuous innovation
Discontinuous innovation has the potential to create new markets, providing companies with opportunities for substantial growth and competitive advantage. Introducing groundbreaking products or services can disrupt existing industries, leading to increased market share and profitability. Additionally, it fosters a culture of creativity and forward-thinking within the organization, driving long-term success and resilience in a rapidly changing business environment. The most relevant benefits include:
- Market leadership: Establishes the company as an industry leader by being the first to offer innovative solutions.
- Revenue growth: Opens up new revenue streams through the creation of entirely new products or services.
- Competitive edge: Differentiates the company from competitors by providing unique value propositions.
- Customer loyalty: Attracts and retains customers by addressing unmet needs and offering novel experiences.
- Organizational agility: Enhances the company’s ability to adapt and respond to market changes and emerging trends.
Risks and challenges of discontinuous innovation
With opportunities come risks and challenges, especially in the case of discontinuous innovation. While incremental and continuous innovation builds on existing markets and solutions, discontinuous innovation requires a strong plan of action to ensure the project has a high chance of success. These are some challenges and risks to expect:
- High risk and uncertainty: The significant shifts in technology or business models required can lead to unpredictable outcomes and a higher chance of failure. In particular with substantial investments that are required upfront.
- Market acceptance: Introducing entirely new products or services can be met with resistance from customers and market inertia, making adoption slower and more difficult.
- Internal resistance: Employees and stakeholders may resist change due to comfort with existing processes and fear of the unknown. This might hinder innovation efforts.
- Regulatory hurdles: New innovations may face complex regulatory environments and compliance issues, which can delay or obstruct their implementation.
- Competitor response: Incumbent competitors may react aggressively to defend their market positions, increasing the pressure on the innovating company.
Best practices: Implementing discontinuous innovation processes
While discontinuous innovation comes with some challenges and risks, it can create tremendous value when approached with the right plan. The 5-step plan described here is one of the proven ways of doing things.
1. Identify opportunities for discontinuous innovation
Start by conducting a comprehensive assessment of market trends, emerging technologies, and customer needs to identify potential areas for disruptive change. An innovation management platform can help crowdsource data and insights from various stakeholders within the organization. Prioritize these opportunities based on factors such as market potential, alignment with strategic goals, and the potential to create entirely new markets or transform existing ones.
2. Gather innovative solutions
Engage a diverse group of innovators to contribute solutions for the identified opportunities. This group can consist of employees, students, startups, suppliers, and vendors. Depending on the scale of the project or engagement of the audience, steps one and two can be merged when using a robust platform. Features like commenting on ideas, making virtual cash investments, and inviting expert judges and voters into the innovation process can help develop solutions collaboratively.
3. Assess and test solutions
Select the most promising ideas and develop pilot projects or prototypes to test their feasibility and market potential. This step can be efficiently managed using a platform that fosters collaboration. It can help track different solutions submitted, assign experts to assess key success indicators, and measure outcomes to determine the viability of the innovations.
4. Implement
Once the pilot projects have demonstrated positive results, plan the implementation of these innovations on a larger scale. Create detailed implementation plans, assign responsibilities, and monitor progress. Ensure that all necessary resources, training, and support are in place to facilitate a smooth transition from pilot to full-scale deployment.
5. Monitor and improve
After implementing discontinuous innovations, continuously monitor their performance to ensure they deliver the expected benefits. Use analytics to track key performance indicators (KPIs) and gather ongoing stakeholder feedback. Regularly evaluate the impact of the new innovations and make necessary adjustments to optimize their effectiveness. This iterative process ensures that the organization continually adapts and remains at the forefront of industry changes.
Examples of discontinuous innovation
Almost every industry has developed or is in the process of developing discontinuous innovations that have revolutionized the sector. Consequently, these inventions transformed entire organizations, determining their future.
Energy innovation: Energy storage solutions
Advances in battery technology, such as Tesla’s Powerwall, enable efficient storage of renewable energy, facilitating a shift toward decentralized energy systems.
Food and Beverage innovation: Plant-based meat
Companies like Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods have created plant-based meat alternatives that closely mimic the taste and texture of real meat, disrupting the traditional meat industry.
Finance innovation: Blockchain technology
Blockchain technology offers secure, transparent, and decentralized ways to manage transactions and data across various financial services.
Pharma innovation: Gene therapy
Innovations in gene therapy, such as CRISPR-Cas9, have the potential to cure genetic diseases by directly modifying the DNA within patients’ cells.
Automotive innovation: Electric vehicles
Tesla’s electric cars have disrupted the traditional automotive market by offering a viable alternative to internal combustion engine vehicles.
Conclusion: Discontinuous innovation as part of your innovation management strategy
Incorporating discontinuous innovation into your innovation management strategy is essential for achieving long-term competitive advantage and staying ahead in rapidly evolving markets. By developing new products, services, or processes that significantly alter business operations or consumer interactions, companies can create new markets and disrupt existing ones. This form of innovation not only complements incremental and continuous innovations but also enhances the overall innovation portfolio.
Discontinuous innovation involves higher risks and challenges such as market acceptance, internal resistance, and regulatory hurdles. Yet, it also offer substantial rewards. Market leadership, revenue growth, and enhanced organizational agility are just a few of them. By following a structured approach—identifying opportunities, gathering and refining ideas, developing prototypes, scaling implementations, and continuously monitoring and improving—companies can navigate the complexities of discontinuous innovation successfully.
Ultimately, the ability to drive significant change and introduce groundbreaking innovations will position your organization as a leader in your industry, fostering a culture of creativity and resilience that adapts to the changing market landscape.
