To disrupt, or not to disrupt? That is a very important question. Rather than single-mindedly heading down the path of would-be disrupter, new entrepreneurial companies can and should evaluate the trade-offs between disruption and other strategies. Doing so allows them to choose a strategy that is right for that startup, in that market, at that time, and to learn as the company commercializes its idea.

Each major wave of technological advancement has proved to be a boon to society — at least eventually. But in the meantime, many people’s lives and jobs have faced unwelcome disruption. This week’s Three Big Points guest, Oxford economist Carl Frey, says it’s time to learn to move from resisting change to mitigating its most painful short-term impacts.

Clayton Christensen’s Theory of Disruptive Innovation presciently explained that fast-moving disrupters entering the market with cheap, low-quality goods could undermine companies wed to prevailing beliefs about competitive advantage. In the last decade, however, disrupters have changed dramatically. They now enter the market with products and services that are every bit as good as those offered by legacy companies — and make it harder than ever for traditional businesses to compete.

This week’s must-reads for managers: assessing the impact of disruptive innovation, a smarter framework for crowdsourcing problem-solving, and how AI can improve talent decision-making.

Some leaders respond to disruption by acting on pressing, short-term issues. But prioritizing workforce development over the long term can bolster a company through a transition while boosting employee engagement and commitment.

In an interview with longtime collaborator Karen Dillon, Clayton Christensen discussed his influential body of work and his thoughts on the future of disruptive innovation. Both reflective and forward-looking, Christensen’s conversation with Dillon is an important addition to the canon of disruptive innovation.

Clayton M. Christensen’s Theory of Disruptive Innovation has had an undeniable impact in business over the past two decades. In this Q&A with longtime collaborator Karen Dillon, he discussed the impact of disruption in today’s tech-centric world and why theory is still such a powerful tool for decision-making, even as it continues to evolve.

In 2019, MIT Sloan Management Review readers gravitated toward articles that will help them prepare for the new world of work. The most popular articles of the year focused on making strategic decisions, finding growth in nondisruptive creation, and embracing the value of obvious insights.

The belief that automation is an all-or-nothing proposition is preventing some companies from incorporating technology into their workflows. But holding on to that (mistaken) belief means companies are missing out on opportunities to streamline their processes and free employees for more important and less repetitive tasks. Three key steps can help these companies overcome legacy approaches and apply technology solutions where they can do the most good.

This year’s bestselling articles examine perennial challenges for leaders and organizations. From predicting how technology will impact markets and outcomes to creating successful frameworks for strategic decision-making, this collection of articles gives managers practical insights for leading in an age of uncertainty and disruption.

This week’s must-reads for managing in the digital age: how vigilant companies stay ahead, Disney launches into the streaming wars, how businesses can engage on LGBTQ issues, and mindful meditation.

In fast-changing business environments, companies need to stay vigilant and watch for threats from both internal and external sources. The most vigilant companies use systematic approaches to determine where to look for — and how to explore — potential disruptions.

This week’s must-reads for managing in a digital age: just because companies recognize re-skilling and upskilling is critical doesn’t mean they’re doing it right. Also, how to choose charts everyone understands, where blockchain is headed in the enterprise, and words of wisdom for managing your career in an age of uncertainty.

The days of the well-planned career path are over. It is rare for a professional to stay in the same industry, let alone the same company, for the majority of their working life today. And the threat of career disruption grows only greater as the pace of digital change increases. Author and expert Whitney Johnson offers her prescription of specific steps you can take to help ensure you stay in control of your own career amid all this unpredictability.

This week’s must-reads for managing in a digital age: The right way to regulate big tech, how 5G will change the nature of work, and a new podcast for busy leaders.

Too many companies mistakenly view digital disruption as a technology threat, so they undertake digital transformation by focusing primarily on the need to upgrade their systems. That is a costly error — one that could even be fatal if taken to the extreme. Above all else, digital transformation is about people: the right people inspired by the right culture prepared to adapt to a very new landscape. Driving that culture is a leader’s most important responsibility today.

Advice for shielding your company — and career — from disruption. A step-by-step structured decision-making process. Entrepreneurship in China and medical innovations from patients. That’s what you’ll find in MIT SMR’s Spring issue.

Although most manufacturers are beginning to flirt with digital technologies, not one has successfully pulled off a digital transformation. CEOs still have to figure out its art — and science — forcing them to draw up their game plans on the fly, which inevitably leads to tension and trauma. But they are learning. Here’s how GE has navigated its own digital transformation process.

Volatility in an industry should concern not only the companies within it but also the people who work for them. To stay ahead of developments that may disrupt your professional life, you must make two evidence-based diagnoses: How volatile is your industry? And what explains the volatility? The answers will equip you to disrupt your own career preemptively.

In recent years, a handful of Chinese companies like Alibaba, Haier, and Tencent have garnered a lot of attention as they have emerged as global innovators. They are challenging the R&D strategies of foreign companies and offering lessons on how to make ideas commercially viable. But there’s another, less obvious force to be reckoned with in China: thousands of innovative companies that are quietly disrupting numerous industries and developing new products and new business models.