 |
| Beep-Beep-Beep |
Disruptive innovation and creative destruction: In 1957, the
Russians launched Sputnik 1.
Nikita: That worried the
Americans! It threatened their defence system. If Russian rockets could put
up a satellite, then their ICBMs were a threat to the U.S.
Hank: So the Americans set
up DARPA and one of the things that did was to make a nationwide network of
computers so they could communicate even if one area was bombed.
Nikita: Bones of the
internet. Trickledown from military technology to civilian technology.
Hank: Trickledown? This was
destructive creation affecting everything: from warfare to culture.
Nikita: You mean creative destruction?
Hank: I just thought
destructive creation had more impact.
___________
Voice-over
Sometimes a breakthrough in
one field has an unexpected effect in another field. Online newspapers displace daily paper
deliveries. In this case the beep-beep-beep of Sputnik’s technology heralded
massive disruptive innovation. Rocket science jump-starts information communication
Of course the internet didn't just piggyback on Sputnik. See a short film, Internet Pioneers, at http://youtu.be/cttRglPZ7d8
…
