Applying the Disruptive Innovation Framework to the Silver Market

Abstract

Despite the increased attention that the topic of aging and technology is receiving from academia, policy and business practice, both conceptual and empirical research in this area is still scarce. Particularly, there seems to be a dearth of applications of well-grounded and established frameworks from the field of innovation and technology management to the case of older consumers and the "silver market." Through an approach that combines conceptual development with explorative empirical research using the disruptive innovation framework, we find that: 1) the silver market is an excellent field of application for low-end disruptions as elderly customers will increasingly demand just-good-enough performance-easy and safe to use-and affordable products and services; 2) the silver market is an excellent field of application for new market disruptions as elderly customers will increasingly demand new products and services they had not demanded or had not been able to demand before; 3) transgenerational and ageless products and services are an excellent field of application for disruptive innovations; 4) disruptive innovations for the silver market are particularly effective and easy to adopt and use due to their good-enough functionality and performance (including ease of use) and affordability, and this helps to increase their diffusion among older consumers.

Advancing the Aging and Technology Agenda in Gerontology

“…For example, in Japan, the idea of using robots as household helpers for older adults dates back to the 1980s, and regular use of robot pets in long-term care settings emerged in the early 1990s (Wagner, 2009). Notably, Asian researchers have emphasized robot technology as providing solutions rather than merely enabling assessment, and they recognized early on the market potential of these strategies for supporting older adults (Kohlbacher & Hang, 2011).…”

Rejuvenating Design

“…Hence, rejuvenation made e-bikes simpler and cheaper. This is important as it runs counter to the common assumption that technology needs to be simpler and cheaper to reach out to older persons (Fisk et al 2009; Kohlbacher and Hang 2011). Our analysis of the adoption of e-bikes thus highlights the age-based assumptions and biases that underlie the development of technologies for older people and shows that contrary to commonly held beliefs, older people––even when they are in their fourth age––can act as innovators and participants in design processes.…”

Adoption of E-Services and Quality of Life Among Older Consumers in China

“…Studies have revealed that mature people are extra resilient while adopting technology because of many factors, such as difficulty in understanding, usability, and the perceived complexity of new technology (Kohlbacher & Hang, 2011); however, developing products and technologies for older users is not an easy task Compagna & Kohlbacher, 2015). Surely, technology has brought benefits to many aspects of aged people's lives and will definitely bring positive changes to their QoL (Kohlbacher & Hang, 2011). Sirgy (1986) defined QoL as the satisfaction of the hierarchical need of the followers of a specified culture, and satisfaction shows the QoL of the aggregate members of a society.…”