Transformational leadership and technological disruption:the case of Blockbuster and Netflix
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37711/Keywords:
transformational leadership, technological disrupción, experiential marketing, circular economy, digitizationAbstract
Objective. Analyze the evolution of the entertainment industry from Blockbuster's business model to Netflix's leadership, contrasting transformational and charismatic leadership approaches, in relation to three key technology trends in the digital era: experiential marketing through immersive technologies, the circular economy and distributed cloud computing. Methodology. For the analysis of the documentation, we used a methodology based on qualitative analysis of an inductive nature, but with a descriptive and analytical approach supported by the review of scientific articles and historical chronology. The study covers the period from 1984 to 2024, with academic sources from indexed journals, business books and business reports. In order to corroborate the data, a triangulation process was applied to contrast leadership theories with technological trends and verify the results of the companies involved. Conclusions. The case study is a mandatory frame of reference for companies globally, as it demonstrates that innovation and adaptation to disruptive technologies is "not optional" but "essential" for economic sustainability. Thus, while Blockbuster clung to transactional leadership and resistance to change, Netflix progressed under transformational and charismatic leadership, adapting to disruptive technologies. This case is striking, as only companies with strategic vision and innovation capacity manage to remain relevant and sustainable.
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