Global Sustainability and the Creative Destruction of Industries

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More than fifty years ago, economist Joseph Schumpeter described the dynamic pattern in which innovative upstarts unseat established firms through a process he called “creative destruction.”1 While most twentieth century economists have focused on competition under conditions of static equilibrium, Schumpeter insisted that disequilibrium was the driving force of capitalism. The theme of creative destruction has received growing attention ever since.2

There is now little doubt that the economy is driven by firms that are able to capitalize on the “new combinations” described by Schumpeter: Coal Age technologies gave way to Oil Age technologies that are now giving way to Information Age technologies. With each change, the technological and economic infrastructure of society experiences dramatic transformation, with new institutions, enterprises, and geographic patterns of development created. During periods of dramatic change, incumbent firms have not been successful in building the capabilities needed to secure a position in the new competitive landscape, for example, manufacturers of horse carriages, sailing ships, vacuum tubes, steam locomotives, and propeller engines.

Not surprisingly, the notion of creative destruction makes many managers uncomfortable — and it should. Frequently, incumbent firms have either discounted the significance of an emergent technology or have reacted to changes by becoming more committed to existing products and markets. Incumbents that survive episodes of creative destruction do so because they display more foresight than their peers; they invest and form partnerships to acquire new competencies and experiment in new, untested markets. They are not held hostage by their current technology or market position.

Foresight is the key to survival. Managers able to perceive trends and weak signals where others see only noise or chaos can capitalize on the changing nature of the market to reposition their firms before new entrants become a serious threat. Armed with the proper tools and frame of mind, managers of incumbents can be as foresighted as the CEO of the hottest new IPO. Foresight, however, requires managers to strip away many assumptions so that they can view the world through new lenses.

In this article, we argue that the emerging challenge of global sustainability is a catalyst for a new round of creative destruction that offers unprecedented opportunities. Today’s corporations can seize the opportunity for sustainable development, but they must look beyond continuous, incremental improvements.

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1. The importance of entrepreneurs to creative destruction was first discussed in:

J. Schumpeter, The Theory of Economic Development (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1934).

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