How to configure intellectual capital of research teams for triggering scientific breakthroughs: Exploratory study in the field of gene editing

Considerable research has focused on finding the optimum solution to reveal the role of intellectual capital in scientific breakthroughs, ignoring the fact that all roads lead to Rome. To this end, this study aims to explore the configuration of intellectual capital—comprising human and social capital—within research teams to trigger scientific breakthroughs. By identifying research teams of scientific breakthroughs and their control groups involved in gene editing, we initially determined the potential antecedents of scientific breakthroughs pertaining to intellectual capital through an integrative comparison of research teams with breakthroughs and non-breakthroughs. Subsequently, we employed a holistic approach grounded in configurational theory to investigate how the combination of human capital (within-domain experience and knowledge structure) and social capital (collaboration features within and beyond a team) facilitates scientific breakthroughs. A fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) approach was used to empirically pinpoint seven configurations of human and social capital that explain scientific breakthroughs; these demonstrate that research teams making scientific breakthroughs are not all-around players in intellectual capital and that their success depends more on resourceful capital allocation. Our findings inspire team managers to rationally deploy critical set solutions to optimize team structure and resource allocation to pursue high-quality scientific innovation.