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Disruptive innovators can hurt successful and immensely profitable incumbents that tend to ignore the markets most susceptible to disruptive innovations.   Disruptive innovators offer technologically straightforward solutions consisting of off-the-shelf components put together in a product architecture that is often simpler, initially lower performing, and cheaper than established approaches. Considering disruptive technologies unprofitable, the executives at incumbents often ignored them at their own and companies’ peril.   In 1981, the old 8 inch drives used in mini computers were "vastly superior" and much more profitable to the new 5.25 inch drives used in desktop computers.  However, 8 inch drives were not affordable for the new desktop machines.  Slowly, the makers of 5.25 inch drives improved the performance of the drives and moved the 8 inch drive companies that did not invest in the 5.25 inch technology out of the market as the latter could not compete on price.  Similarly, digital cameras, when introduced in 1997 performed extremely poorly as compared to traditional film cameras.   Consequently, many traditional film companies such as Kodak ignored this market only to be bankrupted by the rise of digital cameras a decade later.
 
Leaders and strategists should be cautious while rejecting a technology that does not seem to be as high performing and hence not as profitable as their dominant technologies.  A technology that initially provides low performance can drastically improve over time and often exceed the performance of the dominant technology at a much lower price-point, a scenario that could potentially bankrupt the incumbents who ignored the technology at their peril. 
The passage provides information in support of which of the following assertions?
  • a)
    The downsides of ignoring to invest in a new technology often outweigh the money savings associated with the same. 
  • b)
    A company that ignores a disruptive technology may find itself on the brink of bankruptcy as the technology improves. 
  • c)
    Most technologies that initially offer inferior solutions to an existing problem improve to an extent that they exceed the performance required.
  • d)
    Disruptive innovators are always successful in driving the incumbents out of the market.
  • e)
    None of the companies who produced the 8 inch drives were able to survive once the performance of the 5.25 inch drive improved considerably.
Correct answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer?
Most Upvoted Answer
Disruptive innovators can hurt successful and immensely profitable inc...
Answer is b because the crux of the passage is how disruptive technology can lead to bankruptcy of some leading innovators while ignoring the traditional technology which, sometimes, prove to be really beneficial if it is given proper time and space for improvisation.
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Community Answer
Disruptive innovators can hurt successful and immensely profitable inc...
Explanation:

Ignoring disruptive technology can lead to bankruptcy:
- The passage highlights examples such as the transition from 8 inch to 5.25 inch drives and the rise of digital cameras.
- Incumbents who ignored these disruptive technologies faced severe consequences, with some even going bankrupt as a result.

Improvement of disruptive technologies over time:
- Disruptive technologies may initially offer lower performance and be perceived as unprofitable.
- However, over time, these technologies can improve significantly, surpassing the performance of existing technologies at a lower price point.
- Companies that fail to recognize this potential for improvement may find themselves at a disadvantage in the market.

Potential impact on incumbents:
- Companies that dismiss disruptive technologies run the risk of being overtaken by competitors who embrace and invest in these innovations.
- This can ultimately lead to a decline in market share, profitability, and even bankruptcy for the incumbent companies.
Therefore, the passage supports the assertion that a company that ignores a disruptive technology may find itself on the brink of bankruptcy as the technology improves.
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Disruptive innovators can hurt successful and immensely profitable incumbents that tend to ignore the markets most susceptible to disruptive innovations. Disruptive innovators offer technologically straightforward solutions consisting of off-the-shelf components put together in a product architecture that is often simpler, initially lower performing, and cheaper than established approaches. Considering disruptive technologies unprofitable, the executives at incumbents often ignored them at their own and companies’ peril. In 1981, the old 8 inch drives used in mini computers were "vastly superior" and much more profitable to the new 5.25 inch drives used in desktop computers. However, 8 inch drives were not affordable for the new desktop machines. Slowly, the makers of 5.25 inch drives improved the performance of the drives and moved the 8 inch drive companies that did not invest in the 5.25 inch technology out of the market as the latter could not compete on price. Similarly, digital cameras, when introduced in 1997 performed extremely poorly as compared to traditional film cameras. Consequently, many traditional film companies such as Kodak ignored this market only to be bankrupted by the rise of digital cameras a decade later.Leaders and strategists should be cautious while rejecting a technology that does not seem to be as high performing and hence not as profitable as their dominant technologies. A technology that initially provides low performance can drastically improve over time and often exceed the performance of the dominant technology at a much lower price-point, a scenario that could potentially bankrupt the incumbents who ignored the technology at their peril.The passage provides information in support of which of the following assertions?a)The downsides of ignoring to invest in a new technology often outweigh the money savings associated with the same.b)A company that ignores a disruptive technology may find itself on the brink of bankruptcy as the technology improves.c)Most technologies that initially offer inferior solutions to an existing problem improve to an extent that they exceed the performance required.d)Disruptive innovators are always successful in driving the incumbents out of the market.e)None of the companies who produced the 8 inch drives were able to survive once the performance of the 5.25 inch drive improved considerably.Correct answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer?
Question Description
Disruptive innovators can hurt successful and immensely profitable incumbents that tend to ignore the markets most susceptible to disruptive innovations. Disruptive innovators offer technologically straightforward solutions consisting of off-the-shelf components put together in a product architecture that is often simpler, initially lower performing, and cheaper than established approaches. Considering disruptive technologies unprofitable, the executives at incumbents often ignored them at their own and companies’ peril. In 1981, the old 8 inch drives used in mini computers were "vastly superior" and much more profitable to the new 5.25 inch drives used in desktop computers. However, 8 inch drives were not affordable for the new desktop machines. Slowly, the makers of 5.25 inch drives improved the performance of the drives and moved the 8 inch drive companies that did not invest in the 5.25 inch technology out of the market as the latter could not compete on price. Similarly, digital cameras, when introduced in 1997 performed extremely poorly as compared to traditional film cameras. Consequently, many traditional film companies such as Kodak ignored this market only to be bankrupted by the rise of digital cameras a decade later.Leaders and strategists should be cautious while rejecting a technology that does not seem to be as high performing and hence not as profitable as their dominant technologies. A technology that initially provides low performance can drastically improve over time and often exceed the performance of the dominant technology at a much lower price-point, a scenario that could potentially bankrupt the incumbents who ignored the technology at their peril.The passage provides information in support of which of the following assertions?a)The downsides of ignoring to invest in a new technology often outweigh the money savings associated with the same.b)A company that ignores a disruptive technology may find itself on the brink of bankruptcy as the technology improves.c)Most technologies that initially offer inferior solutions to an existing problem improve to an extent that they exceed the performance required.d)Disruptive innovators are always successful in driving the incumbents out of the market.e)None of the companies who produced the 8 inch drives were able to survive once the performance of the 5.25 inch drive improved considerably.Correct answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer? for GMAT 2024 is part of GMAT preparation. The Question and answers have been prepared according to the GMAT exam syllabus. Information about Disruptive innovators can hurt successful and immensely profitable incumbents that tend to ignore the markets most susceptible to disruptive innovations. Disruptive innovators offer technologically straightforward solutions consisting of off-the-shelf components put together in a product architecture that is often simpler, initially lower performing, and cheaper than established approaches. Considering disruptive technologies unprofitable, the executives at incumbents often ignored them at their own and companies’ peril. In 1981, the old 8 inch drives used in mini computers were "vastly superior" and much more profitable to the new 5.25 inch drives used in desktop computers. However, 8 inch drives were not affordable for the new desktop machines. Slowly, the makers of 5.25 inch drives improved the performance of the drives and moved the 8 inch drive companies that did not invest in the 5.25 inch technology out of the market as the latter could not compete on price. Similarly, digital cameras, when introduced in 1997 performed extremely poorly as compared to traditional film cameras. Consequently, many traditional film companies such as Kodak ignored this market only to be bankrupted by the rise of digital cameras a decade later.Leaders and strategists should be cautious while rejecting a technology that does not seem to be as high performing and hence not as profitable as their dominant technologies. A technology that initially provides low performance can drastically improve over time and often exceed the performance of the dominant technology at a much lower price-point, a scenario that could potentially bankrupt the incumbents who ignored the technology at their peril.The passage provides information in support of which of the following assertions?a)The downsides of ignoring to invest in a new technology often outweigh the money savings associated with the same.b)A company that ignores a disruptive technology may find itself on the brink of bankruptcy as the technology improves.c)Most technologies that initially offer inferior solutions to an existing problem improve to an extent that they exceed the performance required.d)Disruptive innovators are always successful in driving the incumbents out of the market.e)None of the companies who produced the 8 inch drives were able to survive once the performance of the 5.25 inch drive improved considerably.Correct answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer? covers all topics & solutions for GMAT 2024 Exam. Find important definitions, questions, meanings, examples, exercises and tests below for Disruptive innovators can hurt successful and immensely profitable incumbents that tend to ignore the markets most susceptible to disruptive innovations. Disruptive innovators offer technologically straightforward solutions consisting of off-the-shelf components put together in a product architecture that is often simpler, initially lower performing, and cheaper than established approaches. Considering disruptive technologies unprofitable, the executives at incumbents often ignored them at their own and companies’ peril. In 1981, the old 8 inch drives used in mini computers were "vastly superior" and much more profitable to the new 5.25 inch drives used in desktop computers. However, 8 inch drives were not affordable for the new desktop machines. Slowly, the makers of 5.25 inch drives improved the performance of the drives and moved the 8 inch drive companies that did not invest in the 5.25 inch technology out of the market as the latter could not compete on price. Similarly, digital cameras, when introduced in 1997 performed extremely poorly as compared to traditional film cameras. Consequently, many traditional film companies such as Kodak ignored this market only to be bankrupted by the rise of digital cameras a decade later.Leaders and strategists should be cautious while rejecting a technology that does not seem to be as high performing and hence not as profitable as their dominant technologies. A technology that initially provides low performance can drastically improve over time and often exceed the performance of the dominant technology at a much lower price-point, a scenario that could potentially bankrupt the incumbents who ignored the technology at their peril.The passage provides information in support of which of the following assertions?a)The downsides of ignoring to invest in a new technology often outweigh the money savings associated with the same.b)A company that ignores a disruptive technology may find itself on the brink of bankruptcy as the technology improves.c)Most technologies that initially offer inferior solutions to an existing problem improve to an extent that they exceed the performance required.d)Disruptive innovators are always successful in driving the incumbents out of the market.e)None of the companies who produced the 8 inch drives were able to survive once the performance of the 5.25 inch drive improved considerably.Correct answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer?.
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Slowly, the makers of 5.25 inch drives improved the performance of the drives and moved the 8 inch drive companies that did not invest in the 5.25 inch technology out of the market as the latter could not compete on price. Similarly, digital cameras, when introduced in 1997 performed extremely poorly as compared to traditional film cameras. Consequently, many traditional film companies such as Kodak ignored this market only to be bankrupted by the rise of digital cameras a decade later.Leaders and strategists should be cautious while rejecting a technology that does not seem to be as high performing and hence not as profitable as their dominant technologies. A technology that initially provides low performance can drastically improve over time and often exceed the performance of the dominant technology at a much lower price-point, a scenario that could potentially bankrupt the incumbents who ignored the technology at their peril.The passage provides information in support of which of the following assertions?a)The downsides of ignoring to invest in a new technology often outweigh the money savings associated with the same.b)A company that ignores a disruptive technology may find itself on the brink of bankruptcy as the technology improves.c)Most technologies that initially offer inferior solutions to an existing problem improve to an extent that they exceed the performance required.d)Disruptive innovators are always successful in driving the incumbents out of the market.e)None of the companies who produced the 8 inch drives were able to survive once the performance of the 5.25 inch drive improved considerably.Correct answer is option 'B'. 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Slowly, the makers of 5.25 inch drives improved the performance of the drives and moved the 8 inch drive companies that did not invest in the 5.25 inch technology out of the market as the latter could not compete on price. Similarly, digital cameras, when introduced in 1997 performed extremely poorly as compared to traditional film cameras. Consequently, many traditional film companies such as Kodak ignored this market only to be bankrupted by the rise of digital cameras a decade later.Leaders and strategists should be cautious while rejecting a technology that does not seem to be as high performing and hence not as profitable as their dominant technologies. A technology that initially provides low performance can drastically improve over time and often exceed the performance of the dominant technology at a much lower price-point, a scenario that could potentially bankrupt the incumbents who ignored the technology at their peril.The passage provides information in support of which of the following assertions?a)The downsides of ignoring to invest in a new technology often outweigh the money savings associated with the same.b)A company that ignores a disruptive technology may find itself on the brink of bankruptcy as the technology improves.c)Most technologies that initially offer inferior solutions to an existing problem improve to an extent that they exceed the performance required.d)Disruptive innovators are always successful in driving the incumbents out of the market.e)None of the companies who produced the 8 inch drives were able to survive once the performance of the 5.25 inch drive improved considerably.Correct answer is option 'B'. 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Slowly, the makers of 5.25 inch drives improved the performance of the drives and moved the 8 inch drive companies that did not invest in the 5.25 inch technology out of the market as the latter could not compete on price. Similarly, digital cameras, when introduced in 1997 performed extremely poorly as compared to traditional film cameras. Consequently, many traditional film companies such as Kodak ignored this market only to be bankrupted by the rise of digital cameras a decade later.Leaders and strategists should be cautious while rejecting a technology that does not seem to be as high performing and hence not as profitable as their dominant technologies. A technology that initially provides low performance can drastically improve over time and often exceed the performance of the dominant technology at a much lower price-point, a scenario that could potentially bankrupt the incumbents who ignored the technology at their peril.The passage provides information in support of which of the following assertions?a)The downsides of ignoring to invest in a new technology often outweigh the money savings associated with the same.b)A company that ignores a disruptive technology may find itself on the brink of bankruptcy as the technology improves.c)Most technologies that initially offer inferior solutions to an existing problem improve to an extent that they exceed the performance required.d)Disruptive innovators are always successful in driving the incumbents out of the market.e)None of the companies who produced the 8 inch drives were able to survive once the performance of the 5.25 inch drive improved considerably.Correct answer is option 'B'. 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Slowly, the makers of 5.25 inch drives improved the performance of the drives and moved the 8 inch drive companies that did not invest in the 5.25 inch technology out of the market as the latter could not compete on price. Similarly, digital cameras, when introduced in 1997 performed extremely poorly as compared to traditional film cameras. Consequently, many traditional film companies such as Kodak ignored this market only to be bankrupted by the rise of digital cameras a decade later.Leaders and strategists should be cautious while rejecting a technology that does not seem to be as high performing and hence not as profitable as their dominant technologies. A technology that initially provides low performance can drastically improve over time and often exceed the performance of the dominant technology at a much lower price-point, a scenario that could potentially bankrupt the incumbents who ignored the technology at their peril.The passage provides information in support of which of the following assertions?a)The downsides of ignoring to invest in a new technology often outweigh the money savings associated with the same.b)A company that ignores a disruptive technology may find itself on the brink of bankruptcy as the technology improves.c)Most technologies that initially offer inferior solutions to an existing problem improve to an extent that they exceed the performance required.d)Disruptive innovators are always successful in driving the incumbents out of the market.e)None of the companies who produced the 8 inch drives were able to survive once the performance of the 5.25 inch drive improved considerably.Correct answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer? theory, EduRev gives you an ample number of questions to practice Disruptive innovators can hurt successful and immensely profitable incumbents that tend to ignore the markets most susceptible to disruptive innovations. Disruptive innovators offer technologically straightforward solutions consisting of off-the-shelf components put together in a product architecture that is often simpler, initially lower performing, and cheaper than established approaches. Considering disruptive technologies unprofitable, the executives at incumbents often ignored them at their own and companies’ peril. In 1981, the old 8 inch drives used in mini computers were "vastly superior" and much more profitable to the new 5.25 inch drives used in desktop computers. However, 8 inch drives were not affordable for the new desktop machines. Slowly, the makers of 5.25 inch drives improved the performance of the drives and moved the 8 inch drive companies that did not invest in the 5.25 inch technology out of the market as the latter could not compete on price. Similarly, digital cameras, when introduced in 1997 performed extremely poorly as compared to traditional film cameras. Consequently, many traditional film companies such as Kodak ignored this market only to be bankrupted by the rise of digital cameras a decade later.Leaders and strategists should be cautious while rejecting a technology that does not seem to be as high performing and hence not as profitable as their dominant technologies. A technology that initially provides low performance can drastically improve over time and often exceed the performance of the dominant technology at a much lower price-point, a scenario that could potentially bankrupt the incumbents who ignored the technology at their peril.The passage provides information in support of which of the following assertions?a)The downsides of ignoring to invest in a new technology often outweigh the money savings associated with the same.b)A company that ignores a disruptive technology may find itself on the brink of bankruptcy as the technology improves.c)Most technologies that initially offer inferior solutions to an existing problem improve to an extent that they exceed the performance required.d)Disruptive innovators are always successful in driving the incumbents out of the market.e)None of the companies who produced the 8 inch drives were able to survive once the performance of the 5.25 inch drive improved considerably.Correct answer is option 'B'. 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