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Idea twins: Simultaneous discoveries as a research tool

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  • Michaël Bikard

Abstract

Research Summary Over half a century after Merton's (1963) description of simultaneous discoveries “as a strategic research site” for social science, they are hardly ever studied. This paper illustrates the potential of this phenomenon as a research tool. First, I describe their vast theoretical potential for strategy and innovation research and review prior works on the topic. Second, I describe a new method that generates lists of recent simultaneous discoveries in science systematically and automatically using openly available sources. Third, I make the resulting dataset available for anyone to use. Managerial Summary Despite much anecdotal evidence that different people can simultaneously come up with essentially the same creative idea, little attention has been given to this phenomenon. Yet, “idea twins” have a deep impact on creative workers, and can teach us a lot about strategy and innovation. In this paper, I describe their potential as a research tool and the types of questions they can help to answer. I also propose a method to “harvest” simultaneous discoveries in science and provide a dataset that includes thousands of examples.

Suggested Citation

  • Michaël Bikard, 2020. "Idea twins: Simultaneous discoveries as a research tool," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(8), pages 1528-1543, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:stratm:v:41:y:2020:i:8:p:1528-1543
    DOI: 10.1002/smj.3162
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    2. Kevin A. Bryan & Heidi L. Williams, 2021. "Innovation: Market Failures and Public Policies," NBER Working Papers 29173, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
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    5. Kang, Byeongwoo & Bekkers, Rudi, 2022. "The determinants of parallel invention : Measuring the role of information sharing and personal interaction between inventors," IIR Working Paper 22-06, Institute of Innovation Research, Hitotsubashi University.

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