Blog #4

The Bay Back Battery simulation put a lot of perspective into strategies for technology companies and fighting to be ahead of the game, specifically in the battery industry. My first try at the simulation ended poorly, with dwindling sales and my R&D choices not making much of a difference. I also had very little idea what to do with my unit prices, which ultimately would have had me "fired" in this position. However, the second time around, I had watched the lecture and read the article. I dug deeper into the foreground information and paid deep attention to the market news stories. When I viewed the simulation as less of a game that I had little control over and more like a president of a major corporation, Bay Back's sales and customer-base grew, breakthroughs were made in recharge times and cycles, and both kinds of batteries were doing exponentially well in their industries.

What would have made the simulation even better would have been more information on my competitors and any potential disruptions in the sector. Knowing what my competitors were up to would have given me more insight into what customers want. Even though changing technologies are what cause disruptions, the root of the dilemma is that "disruption is a customer-driven phenomenon." Customers ultimately decide what they need and want to buy, and the company with the most customer-driven innovations will end up on top.

References:
https://hbr.org/2019/06/disruption-starts-with-unhappy-customers-not-technology