You have heard of the game of Russian Roulette, haven’t you? Two (or more) players fill a single bullet in a revolver and take turns shooting themselves. It is either a blank click or the person shoots self. This game of chance uses the highest stakes possible. I can feel a shudder in my spine as I write this.
Can you ever consider playing this game? If you cannot, then why would you play Russian Roulette with your business? Why do some successful companies play the game of Russian Roulette with a rogue innovation when what is at stake is their entire business?
In my previous post I mentioned how MP3 was a rogue innovation for the music industry. The response of the industry was to prevent the innovation. Trying to prevent a rogue innovation is no different from playing a game of Russian Roulette. If you win, your business survives, if you lose, your business may be fatally hurt.
In another post, I had written about how when compared to a sure loss, firms often overestimate the likelihood of winning a game of Russian Roulette. There, the nature of decision making task systematically deceived decision makers to overestimate the chance of winning. The same forces played a role in the music industry too.
Moreover, the prevailing norms became major barriers for the players. It was as if the music industry just couldn’t think the possibilities available to them in the digital age. They continued to look at the situation as a certain loss. Normative barriers can often mold the thinking of an entire industry and prevent them from taking some courses of action. I find normative barriers no different from blinders in thinking. Just as 4 minute mile was a mere normative barriers for runners, firms need to know which normative barriers prevent them from taking lucrative courses of action.
The cognitive challenges of Rogue Innovations highlight several barriers to innovation. These barriers prevent truly breakthrough thinking. For more on Rogue Innovations and these barriers, stay tuned.
Please note: I reserve the right to delete comments that are offensive, or off-topic. If in doubt, read my Comments Policy.