Are You Ready to Embrace Disruption?

In 2002, Geoffrey Moore identified five types of technology buyers, each with their own attitude to disruptive innovation*. However, while in-memory computing could transform your business processes radically, creating extraordinary opportunities for you to disrupt your market, it is remarkably undisruptive to your organization, because it adheres to established standards. The opportunity comes with the process of choosing when and knowing how to transform.

As discussed in the Geoffrey Moore white paper The Road to SAP HANA: A Choice of Paths to Take , there is no right or wrong answer. The approach you take to new technology will vary according to the state of your industry and your strategy for change. Indeed, the same organization may adopt very different strategies depending on the technology and the times.

Strategy #1: Outpace your competitors

The benefits are obvious, but by definition you travel alone. This is about using in-memory computing to radically redesign your core business processes. You can act on information faster to preempt a competitive response, seize fleeting opportunities or dynamically adjust your marketing for better results. For this strategy to succeed, you need unwavering support from top management and a determination to face down the pragmatists and conservatives who will try to slow your progress.

Strategy #2: Outthink and mitigate risk

You are more likely to follow this route due to a significant internal or external event. You adopt in-memory computing to help you take control a previously unsolvable problem. For example, to enable collaborative forecasting and replenishment, simulate change orders or introduce new products. Every industry has its own problematic processes that put your business at more risk than you would like.

Strategy #3: Outperform with efficient operations

If you’re business thrives on operational excellence you are most likely to use in-memory computing to operate more efficiently in areas such as finance, accounting, customer service and procurement.

Whichever approach you take, the key is to decide when, how and what makes sense for your fast-growing business.

* Geoffrey Moore, Crossing the Chasm: Marketing and Selling Disruptive Products to Mainstream Customers (HarperBusiness, revised edition, 2002)

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