An interdependency perspective on disruption: crossfield discussion and literature extension
Abstract
This paper departs from how the literature is filled with partly contradictory notions on disruption, while lacking a perspective that interlinks disruption causes of technology, business model and mindset with disruption effects beyond focal firms and industries. The purpose of this paper is to approach the notion of disruption from the perspective of interdependencies to discuss its different meanings, time-limitations and magnitude of effects. The paper is based on an integrative literature review to develop a typology. Empirical examples illustrate interdependency effects of disruption as a missing perspective in past research. A typology is developed, indicating a gap related to magnitude as spread and transformative disruption. The interdependency lens helps to capture this configuration. It thereby addresses the lacking perspective that interlinks disruption causes of technology, business model and mindset with disruption effects beyond focal firms and industries. The examples indicate how the parties being disrupted are determined by imbalances in interdependencies as disruption spreads, and how safeguarding and internalisation reshape these interdependencies. The paper contributes to past research through critically discussing the past partly contradictory notions of disruption in the literature, while creating an understanding for disruption effects as spread of disruption. It helps to structure past disruption research through developing a typology while extending such research through discussing it from an interdependency perspective.