The Department of Business management emphasises integrity

- RESEARCH PROPOSAL -
PROPOSED TITLE
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF DISRUPTIVE INNOVATION IN MODERN BUSINESS AND
STRATEGIES REQUIRED IN ADOPTING DISRUPTIVE INNOVATION FOR THE
SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZE ORGANIZATIONS
by
Tshepo Magoma
Student Number
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree
PhD Business management
in the
FACULTY OF ECONOMIC AND MANAGEMENT SCIENCES
at the
UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA
Study leader:
(Prof, A Antonites)
Date of submission
(03- October 2019)
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Declaration Regarding Plagiarism
The Department of Business management emphasises integrity and ethical
behaviour with regard to the preparation of all written assignments.
Although the supervisor will provide you with information regarding reference
techniques, as well as ways to avoid plagiarism, you also have a responsibility to
fulfil in this regard. Should you at any time feel unsure about the requirements,
you must consult the lecturer concerned before submitting an assignment.
You are guilty of plagiarism when you extract information from a book, article,
web page or any other information source without acknowledging the source and
pretend that it is your own work. This doesn’t only apply to cases where you
quote verbatim, but also when you present someone else’s work in a somewhat
amended (paraphrased) format or when you use someone else’s arguments or
ideas without the necessary acknowledgement. You are also guilty of plagiarism
if you copy and paste information directly from an electronic source (e.g., a web
site, e-mail message, electronic journal article, or CD ROM), even if you
acknowledge the source.
You are not allowed to submit another student’s previous work as your own. You
are furthermore not allowed to let anyone copy or use your work with the
intention of presenting it as his/her own.
Students who are guilty of plagiarism will forfeit all credits for the work
concerned. In addition, the matter will be referred to the Committee for
Discipline (Students) for a ruling. Plagiarism is considered a serious violation of
the University’s regulations and may lead to your suspension from the
University. The University’s policy regarding plagiarism is available on the
Internet at http://upetd.up.ac.za/authors/create/plagiarism/students.htm.
For the period that you are a student at the Department of Marketing and
Communication Management, the following declaration must accompany all
written work that is submitted for evaluation. No written work will be accepted
unless the declaration has been completed and is included in the assignment.
I (full names & surname):
Student number:
Declare the following:
1. I understand what plagiarism entails and am aware of the University’s policy in this
regard.
2. I declare that this assignment is my own, original work. Where someone else’s work
was used (whether from a printed source, the Internet or any other source) due
acknowledgement was given, and reference was made according to departmental
requirements.
3. I did not copy and paste any information directly from an electronic source (e.g., a
web page, electronic journal article or CD ROM) into this document.
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4. I did not make use of another student’s previous work and submitted it as my own.
5. I did not allow and will not allow anyone to copy my work with the intention of
presenting it as his/her own work.
Signature Date
3

Contents
2. Abstract....................................................................................................4
3. Introduction..............................................................................................5
4. Background...........................................................................................7
5. Research Problem..................................................................................9
6. Purpose Statement.................................................................................9
7. Method..................................................................................................10
Research Design.................................................................10
Sampling:..........................................................................11
Data Collection Method: ...................................................13
Data Analysis method.......................................................13
8. Ethical contribution................................................................14
10. Conclusion............................................................................................15
List of reference.........................................................................................16
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2. Abstract
The proposed study is entitled as the significance of disruptive innovation in modern
business and strategies required in adopting disruptive innovation for the small and
medium-size organizations. The study intends to understand the importance of
disruptive innovation in business today and develop strategies for adopting disruptive
innovation in SMEs. Disruptive innovation fundamentally focusses on fostering
development of fast-growing, innovative small and medium-sized businesses.
Disruptive innovation may require the business or the investors to consider how
organization incorporates disruptive innovation practices instead of investing in
technology only. To derive more suitable insight from the study in relation to how
strategies for disruptive innovation can be developed for the SMEs, mixed research
methodology would be used in the study. The study would use non-probability
persuasive sampling method to collect data.
Keywords: Disruptive Technology, Disruptive innovation, SMEs
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3. Introduction
The proposed research will focus on the impact that disruptive
innovation strategies can have on organizational environment, with respect to
small and medium-sized businesses in today’s competitive industry. Disruptive
innovation is nothing but the technology which can significantly affect the functions of
the industry or the market (Osiyevskyy and Dewald 2015). Modern disruptive
innovation, for example, can be internet which mostly changes the way organizations
run the business functions and adversely drives unwilling businesses to incorporate
the same. Sandström et al. (2014) mentioned disruptive innovation fundamentally
focusses on fostering development of fast-growing, innovative small and medium-
sized businesses as it creates the platform for applying the close market ideas
managing the high disruptive potentials with respect to products, service and
models. So disruptive innovation is certainly different than disruptive technology as
disruptive innovation fundamentally pays attention to the use or functions of
technology in business than the technology itself (Doern, 2016).
As the market environment in every sector experience fierce competition
driven by disruptive business models and technology advances, organizations are
increasingly looking forward to strategic acquisition to improve growth. Disruptive
innovation can be considered as something that creates new values because it has
the ability to replace an existing market by launching new or enhanced products or
services that the incumbent competitors have not thought about by then
(Hechavarría and Welter 2015).
It has been identified that disruptive enhancement is as significant for gaining
benefits to customers and society because such models can generate better profits.
Disruptive innovation at the same time is able to enable the business to create new
value and prompt improvements. It is noted that small and medium-sized businesses
are in need of making informed strategic choices on when and how to employ such
disruptive innovation. As there have been many debates and suggestions over the
use of disruptive innovation, so when applying disruptive innovation in small
businesses, leaders and managers should be aware of the fact that disruptive
innovation is good serving a niche customer base which is less profitable particularly
from the competitors in the industry (Laurell and Sandström 2016). However,
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emerging or new organizations can produce a product that can uproot the incumbent
from their longstanding positions over time; thereby, all depend upon effective
disruptive innovative strategies.
SMEs can tap into technologies that encompass; IoT (Internet of Things) that defines
the worldwide enterprise environment wherein Internet associates the connectivity
centre for every smart or industrial tool. Osiyevskyy and Dewald (2015) state that
disruptive innovation typically develops in 3 distinct levels. In the primary phase, the
innovation creates a new, non-competitive area of interest marketplace independent
of the mounted enterprise. In the second segment, the brand-new market expands
and slows the boom of the installed enterprise. In the 0.33 segment, the disruptive
innovation, having stepped forward greatly through the years, appreciably reduces
the size of the vintage market.
While large entities have certain advantages over resources, they can react to
unexpected improvements in the area. Rapid technological advances involve timely
selection-making, speedy intervention to change the agency climate, internal
flexibility, extra hazard-taking readiness, absence of forms, and the standard
entrepreneurial spirit of tiny groups to hold or create competitive benefits. At the
same moment, when considered at a macro level, SMEs tend to increase awareness
more on generating products for their own interest markets. Therefore, it shows that
small and medium-sized businesses significantly had an extra degree of innovation
(the number of improvements according to the worker) than huge organizations
(Habtay and Holmén 2014).
According to Laurell and Sandström (2016), existing large companies continue to
make an investment aggressively in disruptive technology, and its usually not a
rational monetary decision for them to make, the notion of disruption remains at the
forefront of business, particularly in the Fourth industrial revolution, where
technology plays a major role. Companies that disregard the impact of technology
often lack behind. Disruptive technologies can be less complicated and cheaper;
they typically promise decrease margins, no longer more earnings (Frank, Güttel and
Kessler 2017). Furthermore, disruptive technology normally is first commercialized in
rising or insignificant markets. And third, leading corporations’ maximum worthwhile
customers commonly do not need, and indeed initially cannot use, merchandise
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primarily based on disruptive technology. By and large, a disruptive generation is
initially embraced with the aid of the least worthwhile clients in a marketplace
(Fatorachian, 2018:61).
4. Background and statement of the problem
As the market environment or the industries have become dynamic, business
leaders cannot avoid the competitive pressure to attract new market and value-
based network. Due to rapid technology advances strategies for disruptive
innovations have become a significant requirement for small and medium-sized
businesses because leveraging the technology advances, large businesses are
being dominant nature (Doern, 2016). As the large and longstanding businesses in
the market are rapidly adopting disruptive innovation, pressure on the small and
medium-size businesses is taking the toll on the outcome (Tidd 2014). As stated
above the competitive pressure of small businesses can actually be broken down
with special consideration –investing in disruptive innovation can be challenging.
Christensen et al. (2016) mentioned that disruptive innovation might require
the business or the investors to consider how organization incorporates disruptive
innovation practices instead of investing on the technology itself. Large organizations
like Amazon, Google and Facebook are the real-world facts that significantly
focussed on internet as disruptive innovation, and consequently, SMEs are in the
rush of adopting the same to deal with the market trends.
According to Habtay and Holmén (2014), the most challenging fact is that the
modern world is widely ingrained by the internet and businesses that are yet not able
to incorporate disruptive innovation are pushed aside. Smith et al. (2008) predicted
that Artificial Intelligence (AI) and their potential to learn from employees as well as
perform the responsibilities could be a disruptive innovation for the job market as a
whole in the coming future. The business leaders and the managers have been
looking for ways to determine the outcome of the competitive fights, while some may
consider the attributes of the businesses involved. Laurell and Sandström (2014)
mentioned that large organizations with more resources might be a threat to smaller
organizations. So, considering this challenge, it is important to learn how large
organizations today formulate their strategies in spite of the repeated evidence that
resources utilized ceases to be of much consequences to business.
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So, the need for disruptive innovation is a significant business issue to SMEs
because disruptive technology significantly enhances the odds of competitive
success. Small and medium-sized firms are not strategically comfortable with the
disruptive innovation because such innovations do not meet existing customers’
needs and they rather focus on demands of mainstream customers (Tidd, 2014:55).
The organizations consider the same only when customers want better
products, but the scenario has unexpectedly changed because large businesses
made it a business trend in which consumers’ behaviour is significantly driven.
However, Corsi and Di Minin (2014) stated that there is industry dilemma of
approaches between large and SMEs with respect to the application of disruptive
innovation. This appears because disruptive innovation with few resources in small
framework can effectively challenge the large business and large businesses fail
when they overlook such market disruption.
SMEs have enough time to focus more on their strategy and how they need to
improve the market deficiencies, and with the help of technological systems, it is now
possible for SMEs to innovate and re-design their product by using strategies that
are more customer-centric and offers the customer a value-added service
(Osiyevskyy and Dewald 2015). The use of disruptive innovation is fundamental for
business sustainability in the fourth industrial revolution age (Li, 2017:626).
Broadly, in order to incorporate the technology advances in businesses,
governments need to be supportive even towards small and medium-sized firms.
The government develop a welcoming approach to the establishment and growth of
small and medium-sized businesses. In the long-term, crafting inclusive
organizations that endorse widespread modernization would eventually pay off
(Yanitsky 2017: 10).
Therefore, African governments and SMEs must focus on constructing clear
approaches that encompass the 4th -industrial revolution benefits; otherwise, the
government is left with no alternative but trailing against the potential contributors of
its own GDP. African countries need to realize the primary technological drivers
which are supplied and paved by the transition of advancement in industrial
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revolution. SMEs have to start adopting tech tendencies and adopt digital
industrialization drivers in an early distinctive way that is focused on the critical
needs for the new digital age (Li, 2017:628).
5. Research Problem
According to Tidd (2014), companies are faced with the Innovator's Dilemma.
As the saying goes “there is nothing new under the sun”. How can small companies
compete in this instance. It is evident that SMEs barely survive in a hostile market
that is dominated by large funded existing players (Simpson et al. 2006). However,
according to Spencer, Kirchhoff and White (2008) for SMEs to compete in this hostile
market, SMEs ought to be innovative and focus on redesigning and recreating new
value-added approaches to their target markets.
SME’s can be competitive, only when the business environment of such
organizations is conducive enough for growth and development. The organizational
environment and culture must be characterized by competition and the thirst for
growth and discovery, if the organizations are to come up with new ways and means
by which to compete in the market. The literature that has been reviewed above fails
to mention the ways by which disruptive innovation or disruptive technology can
impact the environment of the business organization which in turn can affect
business growth and development. This particular project seeks to address this gap
in the literature review.
6. Purpose Statement
The purpose of the study is to understand the type of impact that disruptive
technologies can have on the environment of the business organization, with special
reference to small and medium-sized organizations.
 Research Questions
 What are the types of disruptive technologies that can be implemented by
SME’s for business growth and development?
 How can the use of disruptive technology or disruptive innovation impact
the environment of an organization enough to promote business growth
and development?
 Research Objectives
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 To determine the type of disruptive technologies that can be used by an SME
to promote business growth and development
 To determine the impact of disruptive innovation on the environment of a
business organization in today’s competitive age.
Hypothesis statement
 H0-Disruptive innovation have no profitable and positive impact on the
business environment of small and medium-size enterprises
 H1- Disruptive innovation does have a profitable and positive impact on the
business environment of small and medium-size enterprises
7. Method
The research methodology is a set of research techniques that are adopted in
research techniques to collect, assemble, as well as evaluate data. Research
methodology defines tools that are particularly used to collect information in the most
specific research study. Dana and Dumez (2015) mentioned that selection of
research methodology determines the outcome of the study and most importantly,
the methodological choices that scholars make is completely based on the distinction
between quantitative and qualitative data.
 Research Design
Considering the philosophical stance as the layer of the research onion,
positivism research philosophy will be selected for the proposed study to analyse the
importance of disruptive innovation in small and medium-sized businesses.
Positivism philosophy would help to analyse the facts by generating hypothesis
which can be verified, and this will further allow researcher to find explanation
against the issue of disruptive innovation being studied. Likewise, from the second
layer of the framework, deductive approach would be selected in the study because
with the help of a deductive approach researcher can investigate the issue with the
research questions that are answered.
Similarly, the third layer of the onion is the most the crucial of all research
methods as it determines the strategy which would be used in the study. So, in the
proposed study, the survey method would be followed to identify the importance of
disruptive innovation in small and medium-size business and its application to SMEs.
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Considering the fourth layer of the framework, mixed method would be applied in the
proposed study.
The mixed-method allows the researcher to use both quantitative and
qualitative research techniques in the process (Dana and Dumez 2015); thereby,
both numerical and descriptive data about disruptive innovation can be collected to
perform the analysis. Moreover, the study uses a longitudinal method in which on
the basis of qualitative and quantitative research methods would be applied over
concentrated sampling. According to the framework data collection and analysis
remains as the last layer of onion framework and it determines the decisions about
the sample group, questionnaire content, and the kind of questions to be asked in
interview and survey.
Qualitative Research Design: Dana and Dana (2005) mentioned that
qualitative research generally is applied in some scenario, where the mathematical
calculation is required through data collection and observation. Under this research
methodology, theories naturally associated with existing phenomenon can be proved
or rejected taking the help of mathematical calculation. In the proposed study, a
qualitative research design is required because the study is supposed to draw why a
strategy related to disruptive innovation is required along with what organizational
members of small and medium-size organizations have to say about it.
Quantitative Research design: Ojasalo (2008) mentioned that qualitative
research design is needed in some cases where the researcher is necessarily
required to develop statistical implications to gather actionable understanding.
McDonald et al. (2015) mentioned that numbers and digits provide effective insights
which are further required in the study to make relevant decisions.
The use of quantitative study is necessary for study because it provides
insight based on numbers and calculations and the same certainly helps to draw
suitable conclusions for the business. In the proposed, a quantitative research
design is required because quantitative research would help to derive the conclusion
in relation to the extent to which strategies of disruptive innovation helps small
business to create a profitable position in the market.
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 Sampling:
Sampling is used for studying or investigating the population in research but it
would be difficult for the researcher to study the whole population especially when
carrying out a questionnaire survey but it can be mentioned that sampling can better
be defined as the process used for gaining information about the population based
on results derived from the population only age. Dana and Dumez (2015) mentioned
that minimizing the number of individuals in research certainly reduces the cost as
well as workload and this could be further easier to derive the high quality of
information.
For example, if the use of disruptive innovation technology on small and
medium-size business is to be known, reducing the number of organizational
numbers of the organizations cause no harm to the study; instead it helps the
researcher to collect and gain accurate set of data. Conversely, Dana and Dana
(2005) stated that this method could only be used when there is a stable balance
against having a broad sample size with adequate understanding to identify the
authentic association of the individuals. This means if a sample method is supposed
to be used in the study, by whatever method it is selected, it is highly significant that
selected individuals are the representative of the entire population.
There are multiple numbers of sampling method, but to use them properly,
categories are clubbed into two different categories probability sampling and non-
probability sampling method. As put forward by Ojasalo (2008) under the probability
random sampling, all eligible individuals under a complete sampling frame have
been considered and thereby, all eligible individuals hold the opportunity to take part
in the data collection and thereby, this method is relatively time-consuming. On the
contrary, under a non-probability sampling method, some individuals might not be
able to take part in the data collection process. It is noted that non-probability
sampling method is cheaper and convenient compared to probability sampling
method. However, in the proposed study, a non-probability persuasive sampling
method would be used. Thus, in the proposed study data, the sample size is 50
employees of small organizations for collecting the quantitative data through the
survey, while to collect qualitative data, 5 senior organisational members would be
chosen.
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Non- probability Persuasive Sampling method:
The persuasive sampling method has been used in the study because
persuasive sampling depends upon the judgemental skill of the researcher when
selecting whom to ask. In this case, the researcher can select a representative
sample that effectively matches the research requirement. Understanding the needs
of the study, researchers can ask individuals who have certain characteristics that
are similar and effective to research requirements.
Thus, when selecting individuals for the survey to learn employees’ views
about disruptive innovation, the researcher can choose individuals who have
knowledge about the context, thereby persuasive sampling method is an effective
choice for the proposed study. However, McDonald et al. (2015) mentioned that
persuasive sampling biases, and it is prone to errors of judgments by the researcher
because researcher uses the own skills and ability to select members which are
sometimes inappropriate. Thus, in the proposed study data, the sample size is 50
employees of small organizations for collecting the quantitative data through the
survey, while to collect qualitative data, 5 senior organisational members would be
chosen.
 Data Collection Methods and Instrument
The data collection method is nothing but the technique of collecting
information from the sources that are relevant to the context of the study. The data
collection method is divided into two different categories, namely quantitative and
qualitative data collection method. So the proposed study follows a mixed method in
which both quantitative and qualitative data collection method would be used.
Quantitative Data collection method: In order to measure or derive the extent
to which strategies for disruptive innovation can help small business in today’s
competitive environment, quantitative data is required. It is noted that quantitative
data is all about digits and numbers, which certainly provides the scope for statistical
calculation. In the proposed study, quantitative data is collected by performing a
survey among the organizational member of small and medium-sized businesses
which are most likely to use disruptive innovation.
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Qualitative Data collection method: It is identified that qualitative data is
descriptive in nature which does not include digits and numbers; instead, it is
dependent on words, sounds and feelings. In the proposed study, qualitative data
about the strategies of disruptive innovation for the small and medium-sized
enterprises would be collected from senior organizational members who mostly
supervise the operation.
 Data Analysis method
After collecting the data through survey and interview, first the data has been
converted to numerical digits and numbers, and they would be represented with
graph and table to denote the data outcome that was supposed to be derived from
the objectives and questions. Thus, when performing the analysis, findings are
compared and contrasted to the findings found in the existing research papers once
carried out on disruptive innovation. On the other hand, to analyse the qualitative
data, few themes have been developed that are derived from the existing literature
or the studies. Five different themes related to disruptive innovation would be
formulated to analyse the extent to which disruptive innovation is required for small
and medium businesses.
8. Proposed Contribution
The proposed study would help to learn how small and medium should
incorporate disruptive innovation to deal with the competitive market. The outcome of
the study would reveal how business should invest in the use of disruptive
technology so that it can effectively understand the market needs and satisfy
customers’ demands. The results would disclose how small and medium-size firms
should adopt the trends to push aside the challenges come from incumbent
competitors in the sector. The study would also reveal the importance of disruptive
innovation for business today’s dynamic business environment.
There are several areas in business where disruptive innovation is
significantly needed because, in the present era of technology, the market
environment has been more dynamic, fast-paced as well as entrepreneurial than
decades back. Doern (2016) mentioned that innovation had been a survival
imperative for both large and small business; thereby, innovation can be considered
as a continuum in which longstanding business can engage along the whole
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spectrum. Hence, creativity remains in the continuum because of limited scale of
improvements to existing products remains as part of the daily jobs. Laurell and
Sandström (2014) mentioned that disruptive innovation also remains at the other end
of the continuum and this innovation creates crucial impact on the ecosystem and
generate emerging revenue opportunities
9. Ethical contribution
Ethical contribution in research is an area that requires the utmost attention of
research because lack attention to the ethical procedure can fail the entire work.
Especially when the study uses primary data, ethical issues are most likely to be
observed in relation to the consent and publication of the data. Thus, to avoid and
resolve ethical issues, it would be ensured that no member of the chosen population
would be forced to take part in the data collection process. Research ensures that
identity of the individual is kept confidential which means anonymity of the individuals
would be maintained.
10. Conclusion
Background and problem statements discussed above help to state that small
businesses are in a rush and under pressure of incorporating disruptive innovation in
business as the weapon against the aggressive markets threats of large and
longstanding businesses. It is worth stating that disruptive innovation allows small
and medium-sized businesses to use their resources appropriately to gain profits
and enable businesses to sustain in the market despite the changing market trends.
It is important to learn how disruptive innovation requires the business or investors to
consider how the organization incorporates disruptive innovation practices instead of
investing in the technology itself and how they gain the eventual outcome. This study
would reveal how disruptive innovation helps small businesses to overcome the
challenging market trends.
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List of reference
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measurement in entrepreneurship research: The past decade. Entrepreneurship
Theory and Practice, 25(4), pp.101-113.
Corsi, S. and Di Minin, A., 2014. Disruptive innovation… in reverse: Adding a
geographical dimension to disruptive innovation theory. Creativity and Innovation
Management, 23(1), pp.76-90.
Dana, L.P. and Dana, T.E., 2005. Expanding the scope of methodologies used in
entrepreneurship research. International Journal of Entrepreneurship & Small
Business, 2(1), pp.79-88.
Dana, L.P. and Dumez, H., 2015. Qualitative research revisited: epistemology of a
comprehensive approach — International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small
Business, 26(2), pp.154-170.
Doern, R., 2016. Entrepreneurship and crisis management: The experiences of small
businesses during the London 2011 riots. International Small Business
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Frank, H., Güttel, W. and Kessler, A., 2017. Environmental dynamism, hostility, and
dynamic capabilities in medium-sized enterprises. International Journal of
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Habitat, S.R. and Holmén, M., 2014. Incumbents’ responses to disruptive business
model innovation: The moderating role of technology vs market-driven
innovation. International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management
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Hechavarría, D.M. and Welter, C., 2015. Opportunity types, social entrepreneurship
and innovation: Evidence from the panel study of entrepreneurial dynamics.
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institutional entrepreneurs. International Journal of Innovation Management, 18(03),
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technology or institutional disruption?. International journal of innovation
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approaches. European Journal of Innovation Management, 11(1), pp.51-86.
Osiyevskyy, O. and Dewald, J., 2015. Explorative versus exploitative business model
change: the cognitive antecedents of firm‐level responses to disruptive
innovation. Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal, 9(1), pp.58-78.
Sandström, C., Berglund, H. and Magnusson, M., 2014. Symmetric assumptions in
the theory of disruptive innovation: Theoretical and managerial
implications. Creativity and Innovation Management, 23(4), pp.472-483.
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Simpson, M., Padmore, J., Taylor, N. and Frecknall-Hughes, J., 2006. Marketing in
small and medium-sized enterprises. International Journal of Entrepreneurial
Behavior & Research, 12(6), pp.361-387.
Smith, M., Busi, M., Ball, P. and Van der Meer, R., 2008. Factors influencing an
organisation's ability to manage innovation: a structured literature review and
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Spencer, A.S., Kirchhoff, B.A. and White, C., 2008. Entrepreneurship, innovation,
and wealth distribution: The essence of creative destruction. International Small
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entrepreneurship. International Journal of Innovation Management, 18(01), p.145.
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Research Plan
Main activities/ stages Week1 Week2 Week3 Week4 Week5 Week 6
Topic Selection 
Data collection from
secondary sources
 
Framing layout of the
research

Literature review   
Formation of the research
Plan
 
Selection of the Appropriate
Research Techniques
 
Primary data collection  
Analysis & Interpretation of
Data Collection
 
Conclusion of the Study 
Formation of Rough Draft 
Submission of Final Work 
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