大象传媒

Journalist Tim Samuels examines the industry of death as it faces up to change. He invites a disruptor and a disruptee to breakfast - but who will pick up the cheque?

It was in the late 1990's that a Harvard academic Clay Christensen introduced a buzzword that has now become pervasive. He wanted to capture why established companies get driven out of their industries by young upstarts. It became known as disruptive innovation and has dramatically reshaped our business landscape.

Two-thirds of the companies on the Fortune 500 list in 1980 have disappeared. The balance has shifted from the incumbents to the challengers, from the old economy to the new. For some start-ups, the belief in disruption has taken on a near-religious edge. Forget rules, obligations and regulations - all that disrupts is good, all that stands in the way deserves to fail.

Journalist Tim Samuels investigates three industries facing change - property, finance and death - meeting both disruptors and a disruptees.

In the final programme, we look at the business of death. Like it or not, we're living in a hyper-tech-driven era where nothing is sacrosanct. The messianic mantra of disruption - move fast and break things - has already changed our high streets, how we move around town, how we read, the way we listen to music. Naturally, disruption has no respect for death.

We meet Elizabeth Parrish who flew to Colombia to receive an experimental treatment that she hopes will help her live for longer. Spotting a business opportunity to innovate in a deeply staid sector, we hear from a company looking to bring down the price of will writing. How will solicitors and lawyers react to this challenge? We bring them together to find out.

A Reduced Listening production for 大象传媒 Radio 4.