Innovation can be disruptive, but it doesn’t have to be disruptive. Instead, there are many times when an innovation can help augment an industry but not cause a complete upheaval in the process.
In this article, we will explore some of these instances.
Source: User Guiding
Airplanes Didn’t Make Ships Obsolete
The travel industry is one of the most crucial in the world. New innovations are always sought, but that doesn’t mean that there is a complete disruption in the industry. For example, ships have been around for thousands of years and are still in use today.
In 1914, the first commercial airliner took flight, and even when higher-capacity jets hit the sky, there were still people choosing to travel by boat.
Yes, ship travel would eventually fall, but cruise liners still bring in $30 billion in revenue and created their own industry in the process.
Tesla and electric vehicles followed the same trajectory. While there are great advancements in this space, only 1% of the 250 million vehicles sold in the US are electric. The innovation will eventually transform the auto industry, but it will be more of a transformation rather than a complete disruption.
Robotic Technology in Surgery
Robotic-assisted surgery is on the rise and has the potential to:
- Reduce surgical errors
- Improve outcomes
- Assist surgeons
The technologies usage has risen from 1.8% in 2012 to over 15% in 6 years, but it is more of an augmentation to the industry. Surgeons are able to focus on more complex surgeries and on patient care than in the past.
Yes, there is some level of disruption, but most surgeries are still being performed under the guidance of surgeons.
In fact, RAS comes at a time when surgeon demand is growing. The industry is expected to achieve just 3% growth between 2021 and 2031 – slower than average.
There is a great need for surgeons in areas where:
- Income levels are low
- Populations are underserved
RAS offers the opportunity for a larger portion of the population to receive much-needed surgery and expands access to groups who may otherwise not have had access to quality care.
Disruption or Advancement?
The question of innovation being disruptive has always existed. In recent years, we’re hearing more businesses complain of technologies being “disruptive,” but it often:
- Improves industries
- Leads to the growth of new industries
- Continues alongside “traditional” methods and industries
You can see this very same concept in the world of education. Children continue to attend school and learn under the guidance of qualified teachers. However, there have been online disruptions from Khan Academy, online schools and other avenues.
Anyone can go on YouTube and learn a subject, but the demand for teachers remains.
Has online learning completely upended the education world? No. It has changed the way some people learn, but many students use these tools as a way to augment the classes that they enroll in.
Innovation is often less disruptive than what’s reported because “disruption” is a good headline that catches people’s attention in the news. Instead, innovation can still alive industries to persist and grow rather than eliminate them.