The disruptive business model - the way forward for start-ups

Taxi booking firm Uber was this month valued at USD40 billion following a USD1.2 billion financing round, making it one of the most valuable new technology start-ups. [Tweet Uber was this month valued at USD40 billion.] Despite recent controversies and criticism, the company is an undeniable success story. It was founded in 2009 and, during the past year alone, has expanded its global network from 60 cities in 21 countries to 250 cities in 50 countries. Uber is one of the most striking examples of the disruptive business model – entering a market with an established way of doing things and showing how it can be done differently. This approach means even the smallest start-ups can compete with corporate giants, by distinguishing themselves from their rivals and delivering genuine value to the consumer. Hult Professor Michael Grandinetti discusses disruptive innovation. Disruptive innovation in action Even in industries that seem inextricably linked to established business models, an innovative start-up has a chance of success if it can provide a viable alternative with unique advantages. In the case of Uber, the companys idea was to offer a new way to hail a taxi. It does not own cars or employ drivers, but provides an app that links customers to available cabs. The model offers benefits that customers would not normally get, like being able to track their car on a map to know exactly when it will arrive. Another example of carving out an industry niche by doing things differently is Zipcar, the worlds largest car sharing company. Speaking at the Hult International Business School campus in San Francisco, Zipcar co-founder Robin Chase said the firms aim is to make renting a car as easy as using your own. It has created a community of individual car owners who make their vehicles available for hire. One of the key parts of the companys strategy is utilizing excess capacity. Most of the time privately owned cars are sitting idle, and traditional vehicle rental packages are based on 24-hour bundles, even if the customer only needs the car for a short time. This tactic has also proved effective for Airbnb, which was launched four years ago and now provides access to 650,000 spare hotel rooms around the world. Compare this to InterContinental Hotels Group, which took 60 years to build up its global network of 645,000 rooms. Speaking about her own experience of launching an innovative business, Ms. Chase said she benefited from being an industry outsider. This meant she had fresh ideas and could approach challenges from an interdisciplinary background. The Zipcar founder also advocated honesty about what you know and dont know, and boosting your knowledge through research and the help of trusted advisors, combined with humility in leadership, and plenty of persistence. I guess all of this boils down to being able to learn fast; and to trust that both you and your team can learn what is required, so you are not beaten down by failure, said Ms. Chase. Creating the model and being the first mover Business students and graduates with ambitions of launching their own disruptive venture should focus on developing a unique model of their own, rather than following the lead of recent success stories. Christine Day, former chief executive of clothing firm Lululemon Athletica and current CEO of food company Luvo, said one of the challenges that excites her most is coming up with an idea that has no precedent for success. What I love to do is, where there is no evidence, actually create the business model and the team that can go after that opportunity, because I think if you wait for the evidence, by the time that happens youre not the first mover, she told  Fortune  magazine. In a  CNBC  article questioning the accuracy of Ubers USD40 billion valuation, Michael A. Yoshikami, the CEO and founder of Destination Wealth Management in California, said the companys first-mover status is one of its few clearly discernible assets, along with an unknown intellectual-capital inventory. The renaissance entrepreneur If you have an idea you believe has the potential to shake things up within an industry, one of the keys to success is turning the idea into a workable business model in our globalized, rapidly evolving economy. In the modern corporate environment, industry structures and systems for delivering value to customers are becoming increasingly fluid. Value chains are becoming value webs, wherein customers can also be suppliers and competitors are potential collaborators, as shown by the success of innovators like Zipcar. [Tweet Value chains are becoming value webs, wherein customers can also be suppliers.] Todays enterprising business graduates should be looking beyond conventional concepts like linear value chains, and focusing on dynamic, multi-dimensional strategies. In essence, you need to become a renaissance entrepreneur, who thinks and acts in those multi-dimensional ways and can orchestrate integrative innovation and value-creation accordingly, writes Olaf Groth PhD, Global Professor of Innovation, Strategy, Management, and Economics at Hult in his article How innovative business models can reshape an industry. You need to grow your renaissance brain and calibrate your skillset to meet these new demands. Companies like Uber, Airbnb, and Zipcar have demonstrated that a disruptive business model executed in the right way can be the route to rapid growth in the short term. [Tweet A disruptive business model executed in the right way can be the route to rapid growth.] As such firms evolve and expand, qualities like responsiveness to market trends, humility, and adaptability will be more important than ever, as they themselves become the target of the disruptors. Make the most of what your career has to offer with a Masters in International Business from Hult. To learn more, take a look at our blog Should you choose a Master of International Business or MBA program? or give your employability a huge boost with an MBA in international business. Download a brochure or get in touch today to find out how Hult can help you to explore everything about the business world, the future, and yourself. Hult Rotation offers you a chance to study in a truly global way. Our rotation program allows you to study and be immersed in some of the finest cities in the world. 📠¸: @jasminmanzano . Hult Rotation offers you a chance to study in a truly global way. Our rotation program allows you to study and be immersed in some of the finest cities in the world. 📠¸: @jasminmanzano . Each year, Hult seeks to enroll a talented and ambitious incoming class from all over the world. We look for diverse students with a wide range of experiences, perspectives, and interests—students who will thrive in our unique educational atmosphere. Are you ready for a truly global experience? 📠¸: @iambrunadiniz . Each year, Hult seeks to enroll a talented and ambitious incoming class from all over the world. We look for diverse students with a wide range of experiences, perspectives, and interests—students who will thrive in our unique educational atmosphere. Are you ready for a truly global experience? 📠¸: @iambrunadiniz . We’re excited to start 2020 on a ranking high! Hult is proud to have been placed #28 in Poets Quants 2020 rankings for Best Undergraduate Business Schools in the US. Taking a huge leap of 32 places from our 2019 position, we’re also very happy to have secured top positions in key categories like: life-changing experience, practicality of the degree, and global immersion. . With five global campuses, a student body of over 130 nationalities, and a learn-by-doing approach—Hult offers a student experience like no other. . We’re excited to start 2020 on a ranking high! Hult is proud to have been placed #28 in Poets Quants 2020 rankings for Best Undergraduate Business Schools in the US. Taking a huge leap of 32 places from our 2019 position, we’re also very happy to have secured top positions in key categories like: life-changing experience, practicality of the degree, and global immersion. . With five global campuses, a student body of over 130 nationalities, and a learn-by-doing approach—Hult offers a student experience like no other. . â€Å"I’m from an engineering background and needed a whole new skill set for the industry I wanted to switch to. I learned a lot about myself and how I deal with being out of my comfort zone. I learned both soft and hard skills, from how to work in very diverse teams to key accounting metrics and strategy. I was surprised by how weak I was at certain tasks in English or how strong I actually was in other areas. Hult gave me opportunities to try new things and meet people from places I never thought I would have friends. . My internship experiences gave me the chance to broaden my view of different cultures and different companies. I had the opportunity to work and live with people whose values differed from people in my home country. I thought that this would be difficult, but it gave me the chance to reflect on my own values and assess if they were a result of my home country environment or if they were intrinsically mine. . Diederick ter Kulve (@diederick.terkulve) Netherlands Masters in International Business . â€Å"I’m from an engineering background and needed a whole new skill set for the industry I wanted to switch to. I learned a lot about myself and how I deal with being out of my comfort zone. I learned both soft and hard skills, from how to work in very diverse teams to key accounting metrics and strategy. I was surprised by how weak I was at certain tasks in English or how strong I actually was in other areas. Hult gave me opportunities to try new things and meet people from places I never thought I would have friends. . My internship experiences gave me the chance to broaden my view of different cultures and different companies. I had the opportunity to work and live with people whose values differed from people in my home country. I thought that this would be difficult, but it gave me the chance to reflect on my own values and assess if they were a result of my home country environment or if they were intrinsically mine. . Diederick ter Kulve (@diederick.terkulve) Netherlands Masters in International Business . Say a big hello to our Bachelor of Business Administration program cover star, Elisa Orus Plana âÅ" ¨ . â€Å"I’m excited for the future—especially that I cant predict whats going to happen. Maybe Ill end up in Mexico working for a trading company or maybe in Africa, developing my own business. Everything is possible, and the options are constantly changing. I love the idea that Im never going to be stuck doing the same job until the end of my life if I dont want it to be like this. . Hult really supports me and my ambitions and truly believes that we deserve to be considered as professionals as well as students. Here, I get to express not just my opinions but all elements of myself. From my creative side with the Fashion Society to my finance and business sides in Trading Club and the Management Consulting Club. We get a different type of learning here. Not just essential knowledge and theory, but practical skills and mindset. The school is always evolving. We’re encouraged to innovate and to always look for new ways of doing traditional things. We learn how to be more confident and become aware of how we can impact our environment. The school aims to help you become a better version of yourself and to stand out from the crowd.â€Å" . Elisa Orus Plana French Bachelor of Business Administration Class of 2021 Say a big hello to our Bachelor of Business Administration program cover star, Elisa Orus Plana âÅ" ¨ . â€Å"I’m excited for the future—especially that I cant predict whats going to happen. Maybe Ill end up in Mexico working for a trading company or maybe in Africa, developing my own business. Everything is possible, and the options are constantly changing. I love the idea that Im never going to be stuck doing the same job until the end of my life if I dont want it to be like this. . Hult really supports me and my ambitions and truly believes that we deserve to be considered as professionals as well as students. Here, I get to express not just my opinions but all elements of myself. From my creative side with the Fashion Society to my finance and business sides in Trading Club and the Management Consulting Club. We get a different type of learning here. Not just essential knowledge and theory, but practical skills and mindset. The school is always evolving. We’re encouraged to innovate and to always look for new ways of doing traditional things. We learn how to be more confident and become aware of how we can impact our environment. The school aims to help you become a better version of yourself and to stand out from the crowd.â€Å" . Elisa Orus Plana French Bachelor of Business Administration Class of 2021"> During the final days of 2019, you probably reflected on what you’ve accomplished this year—and even this decade—and what you’d like to achieve in 2020. Let us know in the comments below. During the final days of 2019, you probably reflected on what you’ve accomplished this year—and even this decade—and what you’d like to achieve in 2020. Let us know in the comments below. â€Å"The first time we did group work on the program, I went head-to-head with a colleague. It taught me a lot about how I see people, how people see me, and how conflict can be resolved in a kind and productive way. The best feedback you get, when delivered constructively, is the most critical because it really feeds into how you lead. I’ve completely reversed my leadership style—the result is so much richer and more powerful when you lead from behind and lead with strength. . Studying in tandem with working, whilst challenging, gave me the perfect platform to directly apply learning concepts into my business environment, the competitive landscape, and the real-estate industry as a whole. When I started the program, I was very happy in my corporate role. But my courage and aspirations grew to the point that I took on a whole new direction. Having my career coach, Joanna, as a sounding board allowed me to really be strategic and get to know myself. She coached me thro ugh all the interviews, the research, and the questions. It went in parallel with what I was doing academically and after six months everything just clicked. . I went into the EMBA knowing I had nothing to lose and I’ve come out with everything. Great strength, global friends, amazing learning, mentors from professors, a job I love, and the knowledge that I can set my mind to achieve anything and with the right support and resources I’ll get there.† . Kashani Wijetunga British, New Zealand Sri Lankan Associate Director Senior Strategy Consultant CBRE EMBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"The first time we did group work on the program, I went head-to-head with a colleague. It taught me a lot about how I see people, how people see me, and how conflict can be resolved in a kind and productive way. The best feedback you get, when delivered constructively, is the most critical because it really feeds into how you lead. I’ve completely reversed my leadership style—the result is so much richer and more powerful when you lead from behind and lead with strength. . Studying in tandem with working, whilst challenging, gave me the perfect platform to directly apply learning concepts into my business environment, the competitive landscape, and the real-estate industry as a whole. When I started the program, I was very happy in my corporate role. But my courage and aspirations grew to the point that I took on a whole new direction. Having my career coach, Joanna, as a sounding board allowed me to really be strategic and get to know myself. She coached me thro ugh all the interviews, the research, and the questions. It went in parallel with what I was doing academically and after six months everything just clicked. . I went into the EMBA knowing I had nothing to lose and I’ve come out with everything. Great strength, global friends, amazing learning, mentors from professors, a job I love, and the knowledge that I can set my mind to achieve anything and with the right support and resources I’ll get there.† . Kashani Wijetunga British, New Zealand Sri Lankan Associate Director Senior Strategy Consultant CBRE EMBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"It was now or never. I knew that I’d have likely stayed in my neighborhood for years to come if I didn’t take this opportunity. I’d not lived or studied outside of the U.S. before. So I left my job as a global strategist at an advertising agency and moved halfway around the world. I’ve come back a more culturally aware, well-versed person. I’ve realized that everything is a learning experience and an opportunity for growth. Ill definitely carry this mindset with me into the future. Technology and social media allow us to be different people in several places at once. Im excited to see how I can establish myself in whatever city Ill be lucky enough to call home and still maintain deep connections with people all over the world. I’m inspired by my classmates every day. Hearing some of their life stories and how getting this degree fits into their greater mission has been very humbling. My biggest challenge has been finding the ‘right’ path for me. There have been rooms Ive felt like I shouldnt be in, but now Im proud to feel as though I truly belong, wherever I am.† . Dwayne Logan, Jnr. American MBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"It was now or never. I knew that I’d have likely stayed in my neighborhood for years to come if I didn’t take this opportunity. I’d not lived or studied outside of the U.S. before. So I left my job as a global strategist at an advertising agency and moved halfway around the world. I’ve come back a more culturally aware, well-versed person. I’ve realized that everything is a learning experience and an opportunity for growth. Ill definitely carry this mindset with me into the future. Technology and social media allow us to be different people in several places at once. Im excited to see how I can establish myself in whatever city Ill be lucky enough to call home and still maintain deep connections with people all over the world. I’m inspired by my classmates every day. Hearing some of their life stories and how getting this degree fits into their greater mission has been very humbling. My biggest challenge has been finding the ‘right’ path for me. There have been rooms Ive felt like I shouldnt be in, but now Im proud to feel as though I truly belong, wherever I am.† . Dwayne Logan, Jnr. American MBA Class of 2019 . Happy New Year, Hultians! . Happy New Year, Hultians! .