Epic Disruptions with Scott D. Anthony | The Innovation Show @ HBS

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Dec 22, 2025

Scott D. Anthony, a clinical professor and author focused on innovation, shares insights from his latest book, "Epic Disruptions." He delves into historical patterns of disruptive innovation, comparing Netflix and Blockbuster's value networks. Scott emphasizes the importance of emergent strategy using the Honda Super Cub as a case study and discusses how cultural factors contributed to Nokia's downfall. He explains the dual transformation framework for businesses and highlights the role of diverse experiences in spotting disruptive opportunities.

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ANECDOTE

Kodak's Missed Digital Opportunity

Kodak developed digital cameras and acquired photo-sharing sites but failed to pivot effectively as mobile and social converged.
Steve Sasson's prototype was dismissed as "cute" before the market evolved around mobile cameras.

INSIGHT

The 'Slowly, Then Suddenly' Revenue Pattern

Disruption often shows revenue spikes before collapse, masking the impending cliff for incumbents.
Managers find it hard to act because short-term metrics still look strong until the sudden fall.

ADVICE

Use The ABCs Of Dual Transformation

Run dual transformation: A) reinvent today's business; B) build tomorrow's growth; C) link capabilities selectively.
Structure separate efforts but share assets thoughtfully to enable both present and future success.

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Join us for a special edition of The Innovation Show, recorded at Harvard Business School, featuring Scott D. Anthony, Clinical Professor at the Tuck School of Business and co-author of Seeing What's Next with the late Clay Christensen. Scott joins us to discuss his latest book, "Epic Disruptions: 11 Innovations That Shaped Our Modern World."

In this episode, Scott shares insights from his groundbreaking book, Epic Disruptions: 11 Innovations That Shaped Our Modern World. Through compelling historical parallels and modern business cases, he uncovers the hidden patterns that define true disruptive innovation and how leaders can respond with resilience and creativity.

From Henry Ford and the Model T to the fall of Constantinople, from Netflix vs. Blockbuster to the scientific revolution, Scott connects past transformations to today's urgent innovation challenges. He unpacks powerful concepts like emergent strategy, value networks, and the critical role of business models in enabling — or blocking — change.

Whether you're a startup founder, corporate leader, or curious learner, this episode delivers practical, thought-provoking guidance on navigating disruption in real time.

Special thanks to the Harvard Business School Publishing team for hosting us, and to our sponsor Kyndryl for their continued support of forward-thinking conversations on The Innovation Show.

What You'll Learn:

The difference between sustaining vs. disruptive innovation

Why innovation diffusion is often slower than we think

Lessons from the Honda Super Cub and Kodak's collapse

How McDonald's, the printing press, and scientific revolutions disrupted systems — not just products

Actionable frameworks like the ABCs of Dual Transformation

Episode Chapters & Highlights

00:00 Introduction and Acknowledgements

00:22 Introducing Today's Guest: Scott D. Anthony

01:38 Defining Innovation and Disruption

04:10 Sustaining vs. Disruptive Innovation

07:03 Netflix vs. Blockbuster: A Case Study

07:47 The Value Network and Market Dynamics

16:50 Emergent Strategy and the Honda Super Cub

18:37 Gunpowder and the Innovator's Dilemma

23:03 The Fall of Constantinople: A Lesson in Disruption

32:42 The Printing Press: Collaboration and Consequences

35:50 The Slow Diffusion of Innovations

38:24 The Kodak Story: A Tale of Missed Opportunities

44:17 The ABCs of Dual Transformation

50:10 The Historical Impact of the Scientific Revolution

56:04 McDonald's: Revolutionizing the Fast Food Industry

01:05:07 The Persistence of Henry Ford and the Model T

01:09:25 Concluding Thoughts and Reflections

Quotes from the Episode:

"Innovation is something different that creates value... Disruption takes things that were complicated and expensive, makes them simple and affordable, and changes market dynamics." — Scott D. Anthony

"History doesn't repeat, but it often rhymes... The walls that stood for a thousand years collapsed in 47 days. What is your equivalent to the Theodosian Walls?" — Scott D. Anthony

Links & Resources:

Book: Epic Disruptions by Scott D. Anthony

Website: EpicDisruptions.com

Connect with Scott: LinkedIn

Connect with The Innovation Sho

Connect with Aidan: LinkedIn

Tags/Keywords: Disruptive Innovation, Scott D. Anthony, Clayton Christensen, Business Strategy, Corporate Transformation, History of Innovation, Dual Transformation, McDonald's Case Study, Kodak, Artificial Intelligence, The Innovation Show, Aidan McCullen.