Mark Johnson on disruption theory
From Interview with Mark W. Johnson on Lead From The Future -- The Business of Government Hour · · businessofgovernment
“Disruption theory explains how incumbent organizations continue to improve existing products and services assuming indefinite extension, but disruption occurs when new paradigms create access for a larger population that previously lacked financial means or skills.”
On , Mark Johnson, Chief Legal & Administrative Officer and Corporate Secretary at MATIV HOLDINGS INC, spoke about disruption theory during Interview with Mark W. Johnson on Lead From The Future -- The Business of Government Hour on businessofgovernment.
About Mark Johnson
Mark Johnson, co-founder and senior partner of Innosight, has been speaking about "future-back thinking" as a method for organizations to develop long-term strategy. In multiple appearances in 2020, he described this approach as envisioning a desired future state five to ten years out and then working backward to identify the initiatives needed to reach it. He contrasted this with "present-forward thinking," which he said is constrained by current structures and orthodoxies. Johnson cited a case involving a major U.S. automaker that, after using this method, concluded it needed to invest in electrification despite earlier skepticism about consumer demand. Johnson also discussed leadership during crises, drawing on his experience as a former U.S. Navy officer. He referenced Admiral James Stockdale's philosophy of maintaining hope for a positive outcome while being realistic about short-term difficulties. He argued that organizations should balance sustaining their core business with allocating 10 to 20 percent of resources to future-oriented initiatives. Johnson emphasized the importance of learning and humility, stating that "the other side of innovation is learning, and the other side of learning is humility." He described the "tyranny of the urgent" as a barrier to long-term thinking, noting that executives are often consumed by immediate demands and quarterly pressures.