"Keeping The Lights On" No Longer Cuts It!

Large swaths of our technology brethren have concerned themselves with "keeping the lights on".  That is, we want to apply technology, but only in proven, predictable ways that don't rock the boat.  Like the King's sycophantic advisor, we like our cushy life and we don't want to make waves. 

Unforunately trying to ensure we safely and securely profit from our easy life is the best way to ensure we won't. 

In Christensen's "Innovator's Dilemma" he shows that this pattern regularly repeats in business.  Business is markedly less successful when it rests on its laurels and attempts to milk previous success indefinitely.  So are businessmen.

Success requires invention, and invention today is done with software.

While many legacy businesses don't consider themselves "software shops" - successful businesses do.