About the Christensen Institute
Our theory-based research and team values guide us in creating lasting impact.
Mission
The Clayton Christensen Institute enables policymakers, entrepreneurs, and leaders to radically improve entire sectors through rigorous research and community empowerment. Using Disruptive Innovation and other theories developed and taught by Harvard Business School Professor Clayton Christensen, we develop a clearer understanding of how the world works, so we can create meaningful progress in our world.
Values
- We practice humility, seeking out anomalies and new perspectives to deepen our understanding and expand our impact.
- We promote rigorous, theory-based research with the goal of sharpening our understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing innovators in both the public and private sector.
- We believe that theory can unlock new ways of tackling challenges by providing a new perspective and a common language that can unite people.
- We strive to identify long-term solutions to chronic challenges, not just quick fixes.
- We strive to create a culture of mutual respect and support so that we encourage and celebrate our colleagues’ work and achievements.
- We believe flexibility, care, and compassion are critical for all employees to thrive.
- We honor diversity of opinions, backgrounds, and experiences that can offer myriad lenses on persistent, systemic challenges.
History and Future
The Clayton Christensen Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization founded on the theories of late Harvard Business School professor Clayton Christensen. The Economist called his theory of Disruptive Innovation the most influential business idea of the early 21st Century. And Apple’s Steve Jobs, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, and Intel’s Andy Grove have all noted how he critically influenced their thinking on business management. His theories and values continue to guide our research on four markets and fields we’ve identified as having the most potential for positive social impact—so far: education, health care, global prosperity, and emerging industries. Where traditional solutions fall short in these fields, teaching the theory and conducting applied research can bridge chasms between current realities and societal progress.
How we create impact
Our ultimate goal is to support theory-driven innovations that unlock human potential at scale. We actualize our impact in the production, dissemination, and adoption of research that spurs innovative practices in the field. We accomplish this through:
- Spotlighting transformative innovations via blogs, case studies, contributed articles, and reports.
- Shaping the conversation via earned media, social media engagement, and speaking engagements promoting our theories and research.
- Advising leaders via individual and group networking events, educating and training leaders to leverage theories in their work, creating new connections in fields of focus, and hosting community events.
- Seeking out and highlighting stories of real people whose lives have been tangibly improved through Clayton Christensen’s frameworks.
Our Theory of Change
Diversity, equity, and inclusion
We firmly believe that embracing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) drives innovation, improves research, and contributes to equitable access to education, health care, and prosperity for all.
At the Christensen Institute, that means:
- Seeking out diverse perspectives on our team and through our partnerships,
- Promoting a culture of flexibility and care that values wellbeing and authenticity, and
- Producing research focused on long-term, systemic solutions that address barriers to societal progress and unlock human potential.
Seeking out diverse perspectives
We believe that by seeking out anomalies and new perspectives, we can deepen our understanding of complex issues and expand the impact of our work. We do this by fostering a culture of humility that values diverse opinions, backgrounds, and experiences that can expand our understanding of persistent and systemic challenges.
Promoting a positive and supportive culture
We strive to create a culture of mutual respect and support, recognizing that flexibility, trust, and compassion are critical for all employees to thrive. We celebrate each other’s victories and we support each other in our times of challenge.
Producing research focused on long-term, systemic solutions
Our goal is not to identify solutions that only address superficial symptoms, but to transform systems in ways that fundamentally expand access to more equitable opportunities across education, health care, and economic pursuits. We promote rigorous, theory-based research with the goal of sharpening our understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing innovators across society. In that process, we seek to apply innovation theory to provide a new perspective and a common understanding that can unite people around long-term solutions.
