This article explores business ideas for the future and looks at an innovative way to develop them.

Appropriate Subject Area(s):

Marketing, entrepreneurship, innovation

Key Questions to Explore:

• How do innovative ideas get developed and converted into useful processes and products?

Introduction to lesson and task:

In this lesson students will explore up-and-coming technologies and how they can applied to different business sectors.

Action (lesson plan and task):

• With the class define the following terms:
  • Early stage entrepreneur
  • Legacy corporations
  • Incubator-style resources
• In pairs, have students describe what it means to be disruptive in business and society. Have students share their key ideas and engage in a class discussion.
• Ask what disruptions students are experiencing at the moment. Ask how they feel about these disruptions. Is it different for their families?
• Distribute the article for reading.
• Have students work in pairs and create a chart with the following headings:
  • Disruptive tools (artificial intelligence, voice-assistance services, blockchain technologies)
  • Industry sector (financial services, autos, media and travel and hospitality
  • Applications (ones we know about, ones we think might be useful)
• Have each group research and discuss how they should populate the chart, first defining the disruptive technology, then discussing how these technologies are already affecting the different sectors, then ideas they have for further disruption.
• Have students post their information on a community blog for the classroom or on flip-chart paper, leaving room for comments from other students.
• Give students time to review and comment on what they see and hear.

Consolidation of Learning:

• Have students prepare a brief outlining what they learned and how it will be applied to something they already know.

Success Criteria:

• Students understand the concept of disruption and can see how different technologies can improve lives.

Confirming Activity:

• Have students discuss why legacy companies would be motivated to work with early stage entrepreneurs to develop products and processes that solve business problems.