[BPO] Innovation That Isn’t Disruptive

In the business world, there are fundamentally two methods to drive innovation: Disruptive Innovation and Nondisruptive Creation. These two approaches offer different strategies for companies to succeed in the market.

Disruptive Innovation

Disruptive innovation involves strategies that shake the foundations of existing markets or industries by introducing new technologies or business models, replacing or nullifying traditional market players. For example, smartphones have disrupted the markets for mobile phones and computers, creating a new form of communication. This approach revolutionizes the market by offering characteristics or cost efficiencies superior to traditional products and services. However, it may have a severe impact on existing companies' services, products, and industries during the process.

Nondisruptive Creation

Nondisruptive creation aims to create entirely new markets or demands without impacting existing markets or industries. For instance, online education platforms provide new learning opportunities that are accessible anytime, anywhere, rather than challenging traditional classroom-based learning. This approach focuses on unmet needs and opportunities, providing new value without directly confronting traditional competitors. Nondisruptive creation emphasizes co-creation and expansion, attracting new customer segments for growth.

The Role of Both Approaches

While disruptive innovation has the potential to transform market structures, nondisruptive creation opens up new horizons of possibilities, each offering unique value to business and society. These approaches play complementary roles in pursuing innovation, allowing companies to choose different paths to meet market needs and provide social value.

Innovation Beyond Existing Boundaries

Traditionally, disruptive innovation has been seen as a powerful force for market change. However, its impact can sometimes cause societal apprehension. Nowadays, this could relate to the rapid improvements and evolution of technology, where society must make decisions on adoption and understanding.

In this context, the BPO industry can utilize the approach of nondisruptive creation to address societal gaps arising from technological evolution, leveraging its understanding and insights into the social environment enhanced by its services. Support for the integration of new technologies into society, such as understanding the demand for electronic medical records to facilitate telemedicine, online education, and the construction of smart cities, exemplifies this.

Collaboration for Solution Creation

For the BPO industry to succeed, it is crucial not to cling to short-term profits or provide solutions alone but to adopt a "comprehensive approach to societal challenges" in cooperation with various stakeholders. Working together with companies, governments, nonprofits, and consumers themselves can lead to sustainable and innovative solutions.

Creating Social Value and Business Opportunities

As the world changes with technological evolution, the approach of BPO services to bridge societal gaps not only fosters sustainable growth for society at large but also creates new business opportunities for the BPO industry. Earning trust and building brand value by addressing social needs lays the foundation for long-term customer relationships, potentially leading to increased revenue.

In Conclusion

This article has explored two methods of promoting innovation and their interrelationship, based on the approach of nondisruptive creation. Personally, I feel there is a lack of support in society for the adoption and understanding that rapid technological evolution demands. If there are measures to solve this issue, one could involve BPO service providers who have the opportunity to deepen their understanding and insight through customer operations. They could play a role in responding to society by adopting a perspective that goes beyond the framework of their services and profits.

The suggestion for BPO service providers involved in this article is an approach of nondisruptive creation that contributes to society by creating value in new opportunities beyond direct competition and existing service frameworks. Taking a perspective that transcends the framework of their services and profits can make it easier to gain support from stakeholders both within and outside the organization, potentially paving the way for sustainable growth. Moreover, addressing untapped needs can also serve as an attempt to create new markets.

What innovative approaches do you feel are at your fingertips? While we continue to look forward to the development of society through disruptive innovation, we also live supporting each other in some way today.❀