Assessing disruptive potential in the IT sector: a framework for evaluating company-to-company impact

In the rapidly evolving IT industry, assessing a company’s potential to disrupt or be disrupted is vital for maintaining a competitive edge. This research introduces a novel framework designed to evaluate the disruptive potential among IT companies. Unlike traditional models that focus solely on predicting disruptive technologies, this framework employs a multi-dimensional approach, considering business model innovation, customer engagement, network effects, technological advancement, and strategic market positioning. The framework was developed through a comprehensive review of existing models and refined with insights from IT professionals. Its effectiveness was validated using three case studies: Apple’s disruption of Nokia, the competitive dynamics between Mondoo and Lacework, and Mondoo’s challenge to WIZ in the cybersecurity area. These case studies demonstrated the framework’s robustness in both historical and contemporary contexts. Additionally, the framework was further refined and validated through participant observation by the main author during his tenure as a cybersecurity engineer and consultant at Mondoo, a cybersecurity startup in Silicon Valley. This real-time, immersive engagement allowed the author to systematically observe the dynamics of disruptive innovation within the company, including its agile responses to technological changes, market penetration challenges, and customer-centric strategies. The use of qualitative data analysis tools, such as MAXQDA and ChatGPT, enabled the integration of these observations into the framework, enhancing its practical relevance and accuracy in assessing disruptive potential (80%).