Introduction to Quantum Innovation

by Craig Hatkoff, Irwin Kula, ChatGPT, Claude and Deep Seek

Introduction

Quantum Innovation is an emergent framework that represents a radical reconceptualization of how systemic change occurs. Drawing inspiration from quantum mechanics, which reveals the dual nature of energy as both wave and particle, this framework uncovers the simultaneous utility and identity functions of innovation. Quantum Innovation in no way displaces its progenitor, Harvard Business School Professor Clayton Christensen’s Disruptive Innovation Theory. Instead, it serves as an indispensable lens that, when used in combination with Christensen’s theory, identifies and addresses many of the anomalies that the legendary innovation scholar was constantly searching for. A wooden sign outside Christensen’s office bore the handwritten message: “Anomalies Wanted.” This sentiment encapsulated his relentless curiosity and intellectual humility.

A Complementary Evolution of Theory

Quantum Innovation builds on the foundations of Disruptive Innovation but extends its reach to address the complexities and nuances that Christensen’s original theory could not fully explain. Disruptive Innovation, at its core, describes how simpler, cheaper, and often inferior technologies can upend established markets by serving overlooked or emerging customer needs. It focuses on utility—the functional capabilities and economic efficiency of innovations. Quantum Innovation, however, introduces a second axis: identity. This dimension captures the cultural, psychological, and emotional factors that influence adoption and resistance to innovation.

It is important to note that Christensen himself was a key participant in developing this expanded framework. The seeds of Quantum Innovation were planted during discussions with Christensen between 2009 and 2013, and the theory was first articulated in April 2013 in the inaugural edition of the Off White Papers in an article co-authored by Christensen, titled “Disruptive Innovation Theory Revisited: Toward Quantum Innovation.” This collaborative effort was driven by a shared recognition that existing models fell short of explaining certain persistent anomalies—unexpected observations that defied conventional theoretical expectations.

The Role of Anomalies in Scientific Progress

Thomas Kuhn’s Structure of Scientific Revolutions provided a foundational framework for understanding paradigm shifts in science. Kuhn argued that when enough anomalies accumulate, they create a crisis in the prevailing scientific model. This crisis is resolved when a new theory emerges to explain the anomalies, leading to a paradigm shift. Christensen embraced this concept, often referencing Kuhn’s work to underscore the importance of anomalies in advancing understanding.

One of Christensen’s favorite examples involved birds and bats. Traditional explanations for flight centered on birds’ wings, but bats’ unique characteristics challenged these assumptions. Similarly, in innovation theory, certain phenomena—such as the persistence of legacy technologies in identity-rich domains—required new conceptual tools to understand.

Utility and Identity: A Dual Framework

Quantum Innovation posits that all innovations exist on a continuum between utility and identity. Utility represents the measurable, functional benefits of a product or service: efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and performance. Identity, on the other hand, encompasses the symbolic, emotional, and cultural meanings that people ascribe to innovations. These dimensions coexist but are often in tension, much like the wave-particle duality in quantum mechanics.

For example, a Kia and a Ferrari are both automobiles designed to transport people. From a utility perspective, they perform the same basic function. However, their identity components differ dramatically. A Kia is primarily a practical choice, valued for its affordability and reliability. A Ferrari, by contrast, is a symbol of status, aspiration, and personal expression. Understanding this duality is crucial for explaining why certain innovations succeed or fail in different contexts.

Identity as a Barrier to Adoption

One of the most significant insights of Quantum Innovation is the role of identity in shaping resistance to change. In domains where identity is deeply embedded—such as healthcare, education, politics and religion—even innovations with clear utility benefits can encounter significant resistance.

Consider the case of Joseph Lister’s antiseptic surgery. Despite its proven effectiveness in reducing infections, it faced decades of resistance from U.S. the medical establishment. This resistance was not rooted in doubts about its utility but in identity-driven factors: the perceived threat to traditional medical practices, professional hierarchies, and the cultural norms of the time.

A modern parallel can be found in the adoption of nurse practitioner models in healthcare. These models offer clear utility in terms of cost reduction, increased accessibility, and improved patient outcomes. Yet they face identity-based resistance from physicians and professional associations, who view them as a challenge to the traditional doctor-patient relationship and the established prestige of the medical profession.

The “Util-identity” Function

Central to Quantum Innovation is the concept of the util-identity function, which describes the dynamic interplay between utility and identity in any given innovation. Just as light can behave as both a wave and a particle depending on the context, innovations can be understood as existing in a superposition of utility and identity. This dual nature is not static but shifts based on factors such as time, culture, and stakeholder perception.

In practice, the util-identity function helps explain why some innovations succeed despite their apparent inferiority in utility terms, while others fail despite their clear advantages. For example, the iPod’s success was not just a result of its technical capabilities but also its alignment with identity factors such as personalization, portability, and the emotional resonance of music.

Stakeholder Complexity in Identity-Rich Domains

Identity-rich domains often involve multiple stakeholders with diverse and sometimes conflicting interests. In healthcare, for instance, stakeholders include doctors, patients, insurers, regulators, and equipment manufacturers. Each group brings its own identity considerations to bear on the adoption of innovations.

End-of-life care provides a poignant illustration of these dynamics. Innovations in this area must navigate a complex web of identity-driven factors: patients’ emotional and spiritual needs, families’ ethical considerations, medical professionals’ training and traditions, and societal debates about the value of life and death. These overlapping identities create significant barriers to the adoption of even the most beneficial innovations.

Expanding the Jobs-to-Be-Done Framework

Christensen’s Jobs-to-Be-Done (JTBD) framework was a cornerstone of Disruptive Innovation Theory. It emphasized understanding the functional “job” that customers hire a product or service to perform. Quantum Innovation extends this framework by incorporating identity-based jobs. These are not just about what customers need to do but about who they are and how they see themselves.

For example, consider the case of sports merchandise. A fan buying a Yankees cap is not merely seeking protection from the sun; they are expressing their allegiance to a team, signaling their identity to others, and participating in a cultural narrative. This identity-based job is fundamentally different from the utilitarian job performed by a generic baseball cap.

Threshold Resistance and Identity-Centric Innovation

 Alfred Taubman, the father of the modern mall, created a theory he labeled “threshold resistance”—the psychological barriers that prevent people from engaging with unfamiliar or uncomfortable innovations. Threshold Resistance is a key element in Quantum Innovation. Identity-centric innovations must mitigate or eliminate  these barriers to achieve widespread adoption.

For example, selling Mets merchandise at Yankee Stadium would encounter significant threshold resistance due to the strong identity-driven rivalry between the two teams. However, acknowledging and even leveraging these identity dynamics can create opportunities for creative solutions, such as selling humorous “anti-Mets” merchandise that aligns with Yankees fans’ identity.

Empiricism and Romanticism in Innovation

Quantum Innovation highlights a fundamental tension between empiricism and romanticism. Empiricism represents the measurable, quantifiable aspects of innovation: performance metrics, cost-benefit analyses, and technical specifications. Romanticism, on the other hand, captures the intuitive, emotional, and narrative-driven aspects of human experience.

This duality is evident in the automotive industry. From an empirical perspective, a vehicle’s value is determined by factors such as fuel efficiency, safety ratings, and reliability. Yet romanticism elevates certain vehicles into symbols of freedom, adventure, or social status. The Ferrari is not just a car; it is a dream, an aspiration, a narrative of self-expression.

The Evolution of Quantum Innovation Theory

The development of Quantum Innovation Theory was marked by a collaborative process of exploration and refinement. Craig Hatkoff and Clayton Christensen began working together in 2000 on a separate children’s publishing venture. In 2001, Craig Hatkoff and Irwin Kula began their own parallel collaboration, exploring the intersections of innovation, spirituality, and societal change. The three men joined forces in 2007 after Craig gave Irwin a copy of Christensen’s The Innovator’s Dilemma. This sparked a pivotal moment, culminating in a lunch at Harvard Business School’s faculty dining room where they first conceptualized the application of Disruptive Innovation to religion and spirituality, which they termed Disruptive Spiritual Innovation.

Christensen had read a proposal that Hatkoff and Kula were preparing for the 2007 Clinton Global Initiative. After receiving the document, Christensen called Hatkoff and remarked, “Craig, I don’t know if I told you, but I am like the Archbishop of the Mormon Church? I am the Elder for New England and Canada.” Hatkoff humorously responded, “Clay, I probably would have remembered that!” This moment of shared discovery laid the foundation for a decades-long collaboration, which eventually evolved into the development of Quantum Innovation.

Their shared journey extended beyond Harvard’s walls. Hatkoff and Kula’s weekly Sunday brunches at Le Pain Quotidien became writing sessions at the Dakota for a book deal with Spiegel and Grau based upon their investigations.  

In 2009, a transformative trip to Rwanda explored the intersection of reconciliation and innovation, where the group witnessed how identity shaped systemic transformation in the aftermath of the genocide. 

Hatkoff and Kula started having regular “power lunches”  with  Taubman, a pioneer in applying psychology to commercial design, further influenced Quantum Innovation. Taubman’s “threshold resistance” concept—how small barriers deter participation—became central to understanding identity-centric resistance in innovation. His reflections on creating spaces that invite engagement resonated with their work on fostering systemic change.

The exploration extended to the Vatican, where Galileo’s legacy as both a disruptor and a victim of identity resistance provided fertile ground for discussion. Hatkoff’s Stargazer rock opera about Galileo opened a dialogue with Vatican representatives about reframing historical narratives, emphasizing the tension between identity, tradition, and progress. These reflections informed Quantum Innovation’s emphasis on narrative as a tool for bridging utility and identity.

Applications and Implications

The implications of Quantum Innovation extend far beyond theory. They offer practical tools for understanding and managing the dynamics of change in complex systems. For policymakers, the framework provides insights into the identity-based resistance to beneficial innovations and suggests strategies for overcoming these barriers. For businesses, it highlights the importance of aligning innovations with both utility and identity to maximize adoption.

In healthcare, education, and other identity-rich domains, Quantum Innovation offers a roadmap for navigating the intricate interplay of utility and identity. By addressing both dimensions, innovators can create solutions that are not only functional but also culturally and emotionally resonant.

Conclusion: A New Paradigm for Systemic Change

Quantum Innovation represents a profound evolution in our understanding of systemic change. By integrating the dual dimensions of utility and identity, it provides a more comprehensive framework for explaining and managing innovation. It is not a replacement for Disruptive Innovation Theory but a complementary lens that enriches and extends its explanatory power.

The journey to develop this theory was driven by a shared commitment to intellectual curiosity and a belief in the transformative potential of new ideas. As Christensen often reminded us, theories are living organisms, constantly evolving in response to new evidence and insights. Quantum Innovation embodies this spirit of exploration and growth, offering a powerful new tool for understanding the complexities of innovation in the modern world.