Threat Recognition in Incumbent Firms: A Case for Organizational Velocity Alan Amling (PhDGraduate) Torsten Pieper (Dissertation Co-Chair) Joseph Astrachan (Dissertation Co-Chair) Clayton Christensen (Reader)
Overview A combination of connecting and thinking technologies—the internet, AI/ machine learning, big data analytics, the internet of things, the cloud, and 5G—is accelerating change and increasing uncertainty in the business environment. Firms face a wider variety of threats that vary in frequency and financial impact. How effectively they see them, internalize them as important (or not), and act on them in a timely manner (or not) can be critical to their survival. However, the academic literature on navigating threats from initial observation through action and across organizational contexts is inadequate. This qualitative study explores the process of threat recognition in several industries and organizational contexts through in-depth interviews with senior business and military leaders. Organizational velocity, defined as the capacity to observe, accept (or not), and act (or not) on threats and opportunities with speed and agility, emerges as a crucial determinant of a firm’s success.
18 | PhD Summaries
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