Tech is changing the world, and large organizations are adapting on the fly. But why do most digital initiatives crash? Disruption in Action reveals how to take on digital and win. It tells seven company stories, covering the high-level strategy through to the operational nitty-gritty, all based on the authors' inside experience as Europe's leading digital transformation experts. They take a unique fictionalized approach to dig deep into not just the tech, but also the people side of change, which is always where the real complexity lies. Told with striking insights, practical lessons and sparkling wit, this is essential reading for any leader looking to understand digital and shape the future. Praise for Disruption in Action 'This outstanding book shows how companies can transform themselves to become future-ready.' - Mark Schneider, CEO of Nestlé 'If you want to see how to make disruption work, this book has many of the answers.' - Nancy McKinstry, CEO of Wolters Kluwer 'Tackles this most complex and relevant topic with tremendous in-depth knowledge.' - Dolf van den Brink, CEO of Heineken 'Reads like a novel, but with real situations and brilliant insights.' - Prabha Parameswaran, Group President at Colgate-Palmolive 'The most enjoyable business book I know and, at the same time, the most detailed display of real experience.' - Dick Boer, Former CEO of Ahold Delhaize 'Business wisdom is often best imparted in parables. Disruption in Action does just that ... The companies are fictional but their problems - and the authors' solutions - are very real.' - Martin Vander Weyer, Business Editor of The Spectator About the authors Alexandra Jankovich and Tom Voskes are co-founders of SparkOptimus, Europe's leading digital strategy consultancy. They regularly advise large multinationals such as Nestlé, eBay, Nike, Henkel, ING and many others on digital transformation. Over the past 12 years, they have gained unparalleled experience into the 'why' and 'how to' of digital. They are co-authors of the bestselling book Make Disruption Work (2018). Alexandra started at McKinsey & Company, then held a number of senior digital management positions across the US and Europe. She features in influential lists like TheNextWomen100 and the InspiringFifty, NL. Tom started in astrophysics, before also working at McKinsey & Company, and then heading marketing at Maxeda. He is co-author of '7 Key Principles to Govern Digital Initiatives' published by the MIT Sloan School of Management. Adrian Hornsby is an award-winning writer. Books include The Good Analyst, a ground-breaking study of social impact measurement, and The Chinese Dream, an investigation into the rapid urbanization of 400M people. His work in the theatre includes As Big As The Sky, an opera made with Chinese artist Ai Weiwei and Dutch composer Arnoud Noordegraaf.

The heart-stopping first chapter in bestselling author Jessica Shirvington's Disruption series. What if a microchip could identify your perfect match? What if it could be used against you and the ones you love? Eight years ago, Mercer Corporation's M-Bands became mandatory. An evolution of the smartphone, the bracelets promised an easier life. Instead, they have come to control it. Two years ago, Maggie Stevens watched helplessly as one of the people she loved most was taken from her, shattering her world as she knew it. Now, Maggie is ready. And Quentin Mercer -- heir to the M-Corp empire -- has become key to Maggie's plan. But as the pieces of her dangerous design fall into place, could Quentin's involvement destroy everything she's fought for? In a world full of broken promises, the ones Maggie must keep could be the most heartbreaking. Ages 14+

Disruptive technology is one of the defining economic trends of our age, transforming one major industry after another. But what is the true impact of such disruption on the world's economies, and does it really have the potential to solve global problems such as low growth, inequality and environmental degradation? The provocative answer is that such disruption could indeed solve many of these issues, but that it won't... at least, not on its current trajectory. A Good Disruption highlights some of the huge costs that are at stake, and argues that managing such disruption will be the defining business challenge of the next decade. In order for us to meet that challenge, the book sets out a bold and inspirational vision for a more robust and sustainable economic model. Rich in relevant case studies, and incorporating industry examples from around the world, A Good Disruption accomplishes the remarkable feat of synthesizing key contemporary trends into a coherent world view of how to seize the potential of our collective futures. This is essential reading for policy makers, politicians, business executives and social scientists, as well as anyone who wants a deeper understanding of the impact of disruptive technology and how it can be transformed into a major force for the global good.

It used to take years or even decades for disruptive innovations to dethrone dominant products and services. But now any business can be devastated virtually overnight by something better and cheaper. How can executives protect themselves and harness the power of Big Bang Disruption? Just a few years ago, drivers happily spent more than $200 for a GPS unit. But as smartphones exploded in popularity, free navigation apps exceeded the performance of stand-alone devices. Eighteen months after the debut of the navigation apps, leading GPS manufacturers had lost 85 percent of their market value. Consumer electronics and computer makers have long struggled in a world of exponential technology improvements and short product life spans. But until recently, hotels, taxi services, doctors, and energy companies had little to fear from the information revolution. Those days are gone forever. Software-based products are replacing physical goods. And every service provider must compete with cloud-based tools that offer customers a better way to interact. Today, start-ups with minimal experience and no capital can unravel your strategy before you even begin to grasp what’s happening. Never mind the “innovator’s dilemma”—this is the innovator’s disaster. And it’s happening in nearly every industry. Worse, Big Bang Disruptors may not even see you as competition. They don’t share your approach to customer service, and they’re not sizing up your product line to offer better prices. You may simply be collateral damage in their efforts to win completely different markets. The good news is that any business can master the strategy of the start-ups. Larry Downes and Paul Nunes analyze the origins, economics, and anatomy of Big Bang Disruption. They identify four key stages of the new innovation life cycle, helping you spot potential disruptors in time. And they offer twelve rules for defending your markets, launching disruptors of your own, and getting out while there’s still time. Based on extensive research by the Accenture Institute for High Performance and in-depth interviews with entrepreneurs, investors, and executives from more than thirty industries, Big Bang Disruption will arm you with strategies and insights to thrive in this brave new world.

It's time to stop just worrying about climate change, says Paul Gilding. Instead we need to brace for impact, because global crisis is no longer avoidable. The 'Great Disruption' started in 2008, with spiking food and oil prices and dramatic ecological change like the melting polar icecap. It is not simply about fossil fuels and carbon footprints. We have come to the end of Economic Growth, Version 1.0, a world economy based on consumption and waste, where we lived beyond the means of our planet's ecosystems and resources. The Great Disruption offers a stark and unflinching look at the challenge humanity faces - yet also a deeply optimistic message. The coming decades will see loss, suffering and conflict as our planetary overdraft is paid. However, they will also bring out the best humanity can offer: compassion, innovation, resilience and adaptability. Gilding tells us how to fight, and win, what he calls 'the One Degree War' to prevent catastrophic warming of the earth, and how to start today. The crisis we are in represents a rare chance to replace our addiction to growth with an ethic of sustainability, and it's already happening. It's also an unmatched business opportunity: old industries will collapse while new companies literally reshape our economy. In the aftermath of the Great Disruption, we will measure 'growth' in a new way. It will mean not quantity of stuff, but quality, and happiness, of life. And, yes, there is life after shopping. The Great Disruption is an invigorating and well-informed polemic by an advocate for sustainability and climate change who has dedicated his life to campaigning for a balanced use of Earth's limited resources. It is essential reading.