In response to disruptive innovation, which approach is strategic?

• A. Maintaining rigid long-term plans
• B. Adapting quickly or preempting the market
• C. Avoiding any pivot
• D. Reducing investment in innovation

Answer: (B)

Disruptive change reshapes what customers want and how value is delivered, so the strategic move is to move quickly and shape the market rather than cling to the status quo. Adapting rapidly means using agile thinking to test ideas, reallocate resources to promising opportunities, and iterate based on real customer feedback—staying close to the evolving landscape instead of sticking to a fixed plan. Preempting the market involves acting ahead of the disruption by building or acquiring the capabilities the new landscape requires, forming strategic partnerships, and winning early adopters to set the standard and limit the disruption’s upside for others. These approaches keep the organization flexible and better positioned to defend or grow market share in the face of new competitors or business models. Rigid long-range plans, avoiding pivots, or cutting innovation undermine this adaptability, making it harder to respond when disruption arrives.