Change & Disruption

An Amazon.com Case Study

The rise of Amazon.com since its start-up in 1994 is the classic case study in disruptive innovation. First an on-line retailer, broadening into a platform for other sellers, Amazon has been guided by the restless spirit of its founder Jeff Bezos. Bezos thinks long term - he expects his people to challenge, to constantly embrace change. Amazon is at the cutting edge of technology - but it's also based on old-fashioned values: a wide range at a keen price - and good service. The key, says Bezos, is focus on customers, not competitors.