Disruptive technology: How Kodak missed the digital photography revolution

  • Authors:

  • Henry C. Lucas, Jr.;Jie Mein Goh

  • Affiliations:

  • Decisions, Operations and Information Technologies, Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20740, United States;Decisions, Operations and Information Technologies, Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20740, United States

  • Venue:
  • The Journal of Strategic Information Systems
  • Year:
  • 2009

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Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to analyze how a firm responds to a challenge from a transformational technology that poses a threat to its historical business model. We extend Christensen's theory of disruptive technologies to undertake this analysis. The paper makes two contributions: the first is to extend theory and the second is to learn from the example of Kodak's response to digital photography. Our extensions to existing theory include considerations of organizational change, and the culture of the organization. Information technology has the potential to transform industries through the creation of new digital products and services. Kodak's middle managers, culture and rigid, bureaucratic structure hindered a fast response to new technology which dramatically changed the process of capturing and sharing images. Film is a physical, chemical product, and despite a succession of new CEOs, Kodak's middle managers were unable to make a transition to think digitally. Kodak has experienced a nearly 80% decline in its workforce, loss of market share, a tumbling stock price, and significant internal turmoil as a result of its failure to take advantage of this new technology.