Strategic management of disruptive technologies: A practical framework in the context of voice services and of computing towards the cloud

In many industries, large amounts of resources are allocated for continuous technology development. However, these investments may prove inefficient if a disruptive technology arises that provides new and more attractive customer propositions. While this phenomenon has been the subject of numerous papers, there is still a lack of managerial tools that properly address the challenge of responding to this threat. This paper provides an in-depth review of recent developments in the field and, furthermore outlines a tool that supports managers in identifying forthcoming disruptive technologies and providing them with tailored strategic options. The application of this approach is illustrated by means of two case studies: the mass-market voice services and computing organised as a public utility.