I got an email recently from Daniel Burrus, who spoke at JBITS 18, and in his email, he said, “Disruption is often seen as something negative because it happens to organizations and individuals.
I got an email recently from Daniel Burrus, who spoke at JBITS 18, and in his email, he said, “Disruption is often seen as something negative because it happens to organizations and individuals. It forces them to change quickly or face increasingly negative consequences. Disruptors, on the other hand, are creating change from the inside out, giving them far more control of their future. Disruptors use technology to eliminate problems or to reduce the friction that creates a less than desirable experience… We are at a time in history where everyone on your entire team needs to understand how technology will change the way you do business and how to take advantage of those changes now.”
This is so very true, and at JMARK we see this every day. According to Investopedia, the following industries are facing disruption because of technology:
- Travel websites such as Expedia, Kayak, and Travelocity have eliminated the need for human travel agents.
- Tax software such as TurboTax has eliminated tens of thousands of jobs for tax accountants.
- Newspapers have seen their circulation numbers decline steadily, replaced by online media and blogs. Increasingly, computer software is actually writing news stories, especially local news and sporting event results.
- Language translation is becoming more and more accurate, reducing the need for human translators. The same goes for dictation and proofreading.
- Secretaries, phone operators, and executive assistants are being replaced by enterprise software, automated telephone systems, and mobile apps.
- Online bookstores such as Amazon have forced brick-and-mortar booksellers to close their doors permanently. Additionally, the ability to self-publish and to distribute ebooks is negatively affecting publishers and printers.
- Financial professionals such as stockbrokers and advisors have lost some of their business to online trading websites like E-Trade and robo-advisors like Betterment. Robinhood is a free online brokerage service that is subsequently stealing market share from traditional online brokers. Many banks are giving customers the ability to deposit checks via mobile apps or directly at ATMs, reducing the need for human bank tellers. Payment systems like Apple Pay and PayPal make even obtaining physical cash unnecessarily.
- Job recruiters have been displaced by websites like LinkedIn, Indeed, and Monster. Print classified ads have also been replaced by these sites, while sites like Craigslist have replaced other kinds of classifieds.
- Uber, Lyft, and other car-sharing apps are giving traditional taxi and livery companies a run for their money.
- Airbnb and HomeAway are doing the same for the hotel and motel industry.
- Driverless cars, such as those being developed by Google, may prove to replace all sorts of driving jobs, including bus and truck drivers, taxi drivers, and chauffeurs.
- Drone technology may revolutionize the way products are delivered, and Amazon is trying to make that a reality. Drones may also replace pilots in a number of specializations including those pilots in the film, crop dusting, traffic monitoring, and law enforcement sectors. For years, fighter pilots have been replaced by drones on numerous military missions.
- 3D printing is growing rapidly, and the technology is becoming better and faster. In a few years, it may be possible to manufacture a wide variety of goods on
- demand and at home. This will disrupt the manufacturing industry and diminish the importance of logistics and inventory management. Goods will no longer have to be transported overseas. Assembly line workers have already been largely displaced by industrial robots.
- Postal workers first saw bad news with the widespread use of email reducing the volume of everyday mail. High-tech mail sorting machines will eliminate even more jobs in the postal service.
- Fast food workers recently protested to raise the minimum wage. Fast food companies responded by investing in computerized kiosks which can take orders without the need for humans. Retail cashiers have also been displaced at supermarkets and big box stores with self-checkout lines. Toll booth attendants have been replaced by systems like E-Z Pass.
- Radio DJs are largely a thing of the past. Software now chooses most of the music played, inserts ads, and even reads the news.
- Educational sites such as Khan Academy and Udemy, as well as massively open online courses offered by leading universities for free, will greatly reduce the need for teachers and college professors over time. It is plausible that today’s children will receive their undergraduate education largely online and at very little cost.
- Traditional television distribution is being upended by digital distribution outlets such as Netflix and Hulu. People are dropping their cable or satellite TV services, opting to stream online instead. Spotify and iTunes have done the same for the recording industry: people now choose to download or stream on demand rather than buy records.
- Libraries and librarians are moving online. References like Wikipedia have replaced the multi-volume encyclopedia. Librarians used to help people find information and conduct research, but much of that can be done individually over the internet nowadays.
- Farmers and ranchers used to make up over 50% of the U.S. workforce. Today less than 2.5% are employed in this sector. Yet, more food than ever is being produced in America due to the automation in agriculture and food production.
This is the reason why we have put together JBITS 2020: Disruption. So that we can give organizations the power, the knowledge, and the tools, to be the disruptors and not the disrupted.
More info about the JMARK Business Innovation Technology Summit….
