Dr. Christensen, a professor at Harvard Business School and a graduate of Harvard Business School and Oxford University has strong Utah ties—he completed his undergraduate degree in economics at Brigham Young University. Christensen is author of the best-selling business books “The Innovator’s Dilemma” and “The Innovator’s Solution.” Dr. Christensen presented his ideas at an exclusive, interactive 90-minute dinner presentation to UITA members and the extended technology and business community of the state.

Business leaders who attended the presentation informally called it the “Clayton Christensen experience” and considered his thinking and ideas “profound.”

Dr. Christensen provided in-depth explanations for the ways today’s company can expand and outpace entrenched competition by being “disruptors.” For example, he described the way that voice recognition software is facing poor adoption in the larger technology industry—however, in low-end markets where voice recognition had not formerly been available (such as toy robots responding to simple commands, then phone calls responding to simple requests) are meeting with surprising success. The secret, Christensen points out, is that these “disruptive” new options are serving new fields of customers and enabling them to accomplish things for themselves that they weren’t able to accomplish before.

In other examples, Dr. Christensen noted that low-cost airlines have initially succeeded because they have motivated the larger airlines to “flee upward” into higher-end markets. But, he cautions, the capital investment required for the airline industry is so high that ultimately, the major airlines are forced to compete with the upstart airlines, as painful and expensive as fighting that competition might be. For the longer term, airlines such as JetBlue and SkyWest would be most successful by introducing point-to-point service to markets that are currently not being served than by attempting to compete with the larger carriers head on, Dr. Christensen believes.

“Dr. Clayton Christensen is a truly remarkable treasure that has emerged from our state,” said Richard Nelson, president of UITA, at the conclusion of the evening’s event.

Nelson noted that this was the first time that this type of community-building event had brought together not only UITA members, but much of the extended technology and business community throughout Utah, including the Salt Lake Chamber, MountainWest Venture Group, Economic Development Corporation of Utah, Utah Life Science Association, the Provo/Orem Chamber of Commerce, and Utah Valley Entrepreneurial Forum. After the presentation, UITA presented Dr. Christensen with a decorative crystal emblem that carried a phrase that exemplifies his business thinking: “Serve the underserved.”

For more information about upcoming UITA events and initiatives, readers are invited to visit UITA at www.UITA.org.