Clayton M. Christensen
Encyclopedia
Clayton M. Christensen is the Robert and Jane Cizik Professor of Business Administration at the Harvard Business School
, with a joint appointment in the Technology & Operations Management and General Management faculty groups. He is best known for his study of innovation in commercial enterprises. His first book, The Innovator's Dilemma, articulated his theory of disruptive innovation
.
, the second of eight children. He holds a B.A. with highest honors in economics at Brigham Young University
(1975), an M.Phil. in applied econometrics and the economics of less-developed countries at Oxford University (1977, Rhodes Scholar), an MBA with High Distinction at the Harvard Business School (1979, George F. Baker Scholar), and a DBA
at the Harvard Business School (1992).
and then served as chairman and president of Ceramics Process Systems Corporation (Now CPS Holdings), a firm he co-founded with several MIT
professors in 1984. In 2000, he founded Innosight LLC, a consulting and training firm which describes itself as "focusing on idea generation, strategy development, commercialization, and innovative process development." In 2005, together with his colleagues at Innosight he launched Innosight Ventures, a venture firm focused on investing in India. In 2007, after incubating the processes for six years, Christensen co-founded Rose Park Advisors LLC (named after the neighborhood of Salt Lake City where he was raised), an investment company which applies his research as an investment strategy.
He serves on the board of directors of Tata Consultancy Services (NYSE: TCS), Franklin Covey (NYSE: FC), and Vanu, Inc.
He worked as a consultant and project leader with the Boston Consulting Group
(BCG) (1979–1984); instrumental in founding the firm's manufacturing strategy consulting practice. He took a leave of absence from BCG to serve as a White House Fellow (1982–1983) as assistant to U.S. Transportation Secretaries Drew Lewis and Elizabeth Dole
.
Professor Christensen became a faculty member at the Harvard Business School
in 1992. He currently teaches an elective course he designed called Building and Sustaining a Successful Enterprise, which teaches managers how to build and manage an enduring, successful company or transform an existing organization. Christensen received an Extraordinary Teaching Award by the MBA class of 2010. He also teaches in many HBS executive education programs.
Professor Christensen is the bestselling author of five books, including his seminal work The Innovator's Dilemma (1997) which received the Global Business Book Award for the best business book of the year, The Innovator's Solution (2003), and Seeing What's Next (2004). Recently, Christensen has focused the lens of disruptive innovation on social issues such as education and health care. Disrupting Class (2008) looks at the root causes of why schools struggle and offers solutions, while The Innovator's Prescription (2009) examines how to fix the American healthcare system. The latter two books have received numerous awards as the best books on education and health care in their respective years of publication. The Innovator's Prescription was also awarded the 2010 James A. Hamilton Award, by the College of Healthcare Executives.
, Massachusetts
with his wife Christine. They have five children: Matthew, Ann, Michael, Spencer and Kate. Clayton is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. From 1971 to 1973 he served as a missionary in the Republic of Korea (1971–1973), and speaks fluent Korean
. He has served in several leadership positions in the Church. He served as an Area Seventy beginning in April 2002. Prior to that he served as a counselor in the Massachusetts Boston Mission Presidency. He has also served as a bishop.
In February 2010, Christensen announced that he'd been diagnosed with follicular lymphoma
. Despite Christensen’s health setback he is once again actively teaching, speaking and writing. In 2011, Christensen published two seminal books: The Innovative University and The Innovator’s DNA (Harvard Business Press), with another scheduled to be published in early 2012.
Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School is the graduate business school of Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts, United States and is widely recognized as one of the top business schools in the world. The school offers the world's largest full-time MBA program, doctoral programs, and many executive...
, with a joint appointment in the Technology & Operations Management and General Management faculty groups. He is best known for his study of innovation in commercial enterprises. His first book, The Innovator's Dilemma, articulated his theory of disruptive innovation
Disruptive technology
A disruptive technology or disruptive innovation is an innovation that helps create a new market and value network, and eventually goes on to disrupt an existing market and value network , displacing an earlier technology there...
.
Early life
Christensen was born in Salt Lake City, UtahUtah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, the second of eight children. He holds a B.A. with highest honors in economics at Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
(1975), an M.Phil. in applied econometrics and the economics of less-developed countries at Oxford University (1977, Rhodes Scholar), an MBA with High Distinction at the Harvard Business School (1979, George F. Baker Scholar), and a DBA
Doctor of Business Administration
The degree of Doctor of Business Administration, abbreviated, or and equivalent to , is a research doctorate in business administration. The D.B.A...
at the Harvard Business School (1992).
Career
Before joining the faculty of Harvard Business School (HBS) in 1992, Christensen worked for the Boston Consulting GroupBoston Consulting Group
The Boston Consulting Group is a global management consulting firm with offices in 42 countries. It is recognized as one of the most prestigious management consulting firms in the world. It is one of only three companies to appear in the top 15 of Fortunes "Best Companies to Work For" report for...
and then served as chairman and president of Ceramics Process Systems Corporation (Now CPS Holdings), a firm he co-founded with several MIT
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
professors in 1984. In 2000, he founded Innosight LLC, a consulting and training firm which describes itself as "focusing on idea generation, strategy development, commercialization, and innovative process development." In 2005, together with his colleagues at Innosight he launched Innosight Ventures, a venture firm focused on investing in India. In 2007, after incubating the processes for six years, Christensen co-founded Rose Park Advisors LLC (named after the neighborhood of Salt Lake City where he was raised), an investment company which applies his research as an investment strategy.
He serves on the board of directors of Tata Consultancy Services (NYSE: TCS), Franklin Covey (NYSE: FC), and Vanu, Inc.
He worked as a consultant and project leader with the Boston Consulting Group
Boston Consulting Group
The Boston Consulting Group is a global management consulting firm with offices in 42 countries. It is recognized as one of the most prestigious management consulting firms in the world. It is one of only three companies to appear in the top 15 of Fortunes "Best Companies to Work For" report for...
(BCG) (1979–1984); instrumental in founding the firm's manufacturing strategy consulting practice. He took a leave of absence from BCG to serve as a White House Fellow (1982–1983) as assistant to U.S. Transportation Secretaries Drew Lewis and Elizabeth Dole
Elizabeth Dole
Mary Elizabeth Alexander Hanford "Liddy" Dole is an American politician who served in both the Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush presidential administrations, as well as a United States Senator....
.
Professor Christensen became a faculty member at the Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School is the graduate business school of Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts, United States and is widely recognized as one of the top business schools in the world. The school offers the world's largest full-time MBA program, doctoral programs, and many executive...
in 1992. He currently teaches an elective course he designed called Building and Sustaining a Successful Enterprise, which teaches managers how to build and manage an enduring, successful company or transform an existing organization. Christensen received an Extraordinary Teaching Award by the MBA class of 2010. He also teaches in many HBS executive education programs.
Professor Christensen is the bestselling author of five books, including his seminal work The Innovator's Dilemma (1997) which received the Global Business Book Award for the best business book of the year, The Innovator's Solution (2003), and Seeing What's Next (2004). Recently, Christensen has focused the lens of disruptive innovation on social issues such as education and health care. Disrupting Class (2008) looks at the root causes of why schools struggle and offers solutions, while The Innovator's Prescription (2009) examines how to fix the American healthcare system. The latter two books have received numerous awards as the best books on education and health care in their respective years of publication. The Innovator's Prescription was also awarded the 2010 James A. Hamilton Award, by the College of Healthcare Executives.
Personal life
Clay Christensen lives in BelmontBelmont, Massachusetts
Belmont is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston. The population was 24,729 at the 2010 census.- History :Belmont was founded on March 18, 1859 by former citizens of, and land from the bordering towns of Watertown, to the south; Waltham, to the west; and Arlington, then...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
with his wife Christine. They have five children: Matthew, Ann, Michael, Spencer and Kate. Clayton is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. From 1971 to 1973 he served as a missionary in the Republic of Korea (1971–1973), and speaks fluent Korean
Korean language
Korean is the official language of the country Korea, in both South and North. It is also one of the two official languages in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in People's Republic of China. There are about 78 million Korean speakers worldwide. In the 15th century, a national writing...
. He has served in several leadership positions in the Church. He served as an Area Seventy beginning in April 2002. Prior to that he served as a counselor in the Massachusetts Boston Mission Presidency. He has also served as a bishop.
In February 2010, Christensen announced that he'd been diagnosed with follicular lymphoma
Follicular lymphoma
Follicular lymphoma is the most common of the indolent non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, and the second most common form of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas overall. It is defined as a lymphoma of follicle center B-cells , which has at least a partially follicular pattern...
. Despite Christensen’s health setback he is once again actively teaching, speaking and writing. In 2011, Christensen published two seminal books: The Innovative University and The Innovator’s DNA (Harvard Business Press), with another scheduled to be published in early 2012.
External links
- Official Homepage
- Open Source: Capturing the Upside While Avoiding the Downside - Keynote presentation recorded at the Open Source Business Conference 2004 (Audio)
- The Downside of Success - Presentation at Fortune Global Forum 2007 (Video)
- Interview on NPR's On Point - "Clayton Christensen’s Prescription For Health Care" April 14, 2011 (Audio)