Disruptive innovation

High school (ages 12+)
Thinking & Learning

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/disruptive-innovation

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the innovation type?Innovation that creates new markets or enters existing markets at the bottom
2. What is the originating entities?Typically developed by startups or entrepreneurs outside established market leadership
3. How is disruptive innovation different from regular improvements?Regular, or sustaining, improvements make existing products better for current customers. Disruptive ones create a new kind of product for new customers, so they start off not being the best for the old market.
4. Why did the Ford Model T become disruptive?The Model T was affordable and mass‑produced, so many people could buy it. It changed how people moved around and made horse carts less common.

Sustaining Innovation: Improvements to existing products and services that appeal to current customers.
Incumbent Firms: Companies that are currently established and leading in a particular market.
Value Network: The ecosystem of suppliers, distributors, and customers within which a firm operates.