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Measuring Exaptation and Its Impact on Innovation, Search, and Problem Solving

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  • Pierpaolo Andriani

    (Kedge Business School, 13288 Marseille, France)

  • Ayfer Ali

    (Department of Business Administration, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, 28903 Madrid, Spain)

  • Mariano Mastrogiorgio

    (School of Business Administration, IE University, 28006 Madrid, Spain)

Abstract

Exaptation, the emergence of latent functionality in existing artifacts, is an underexplored mechanism of novelty generation in innovation. In this paper, we measure the frequency of exaptation in the pharmaceutical industry. We find that about 42% of new functions derived from existing drugs have an exaptive nature. We think that this constitutes the first measure of exaptation in any industry. We also link exaptation with radical innovation and find that most radical innovations in our sample are exaptive. Also, nearly all radical innovations occur in market areas very distant from the drug’s original market. We propose that exaptive innovation constitutes a different search mechanism and problem-solving approach from deliberate innovation and discuss the role of context and serendipity in innovation.

Suggested Citation

  • Pierpaolo Andriani & Ayfer Ali & Mariano Mastrogiorgio, 2017. "Measuring Exaptation and Its Impact on Innovation, Search, and Problem Solving," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 28(2), pages 320-338, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:ororsc:v:28:y:2017:i:2:p:320-338
    DOI: 10.1287/orsc.2017.1116
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    1. De Noni, Ivan & Ganzaroli, Andrea & Pilotti, Luciano, 2021. "Spawning exaptive opportunities in European regions: The missing link in the smart specialization framework," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(6).
    2. Pierpaolo Andriani & Renata Kaminska, 2020. "Exploring the dynamics of novelty production through exaptation: a historical analysis of coal tar-based innovations," Post-Print halshs-03070325, HAL.
    3. Tian Heong Chan & Shi-Ying Lim, 2023. "The Emergence of Novel Product Uses: An Investigation of Exaptations in IKEA Hacks," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 69(5), pages 2870-2892, May.
    4. Aaltonen, Päivi Hanna Maria, 2020. "Piecing together a puzzle—A review and research agenda on internationalization and the promise of exaptation," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(4).
    5. Wu, Aiqi & Song, Di & Liu, Yihui, 2022. "Platform synergy and innovation speed of SMEs: The roles of organizational design and regional environment," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 149(C), pages 38-53.
    6. Beltagui, Ahmad & Rosli, Ainurul & Candi, Marina, 2020. "Exaptation in a digital innovation ecosystem: The disruptive impacts of 3D printing," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(1).
    7. Liang Wu & Heng Liu, 2022. "How bricolage influences green management in high‐polluting manufacturing firms: The role of stakeholder engagement," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(7), pages 3616-3634, November.
    8. Mario Daniele Amore & Mariano Mastrogiorgio, 2022. "Technological Entry, Redeployability, and Firm Value," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 59(7), pages 1688-1722, November.
    9. Schweisfurth, Tim G. & Raasch, Christina, 2018. "Absorptive capacity for need knowledge: Antecedents and effects for employee innovativeness," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(4), pages 687-699.
    10. Andriani, Pierpaolo & Kaminska, Renata, 2021. "Exploring the dynamics of novelty production through exaptation: a historical analysis of coal tar-based innovations," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(2).
    11. Preißner, Stephanie & Raasch, Christina & Schweisfurth, Tim, 2023. "When necessity is the mother of disruption: Users versus producers as sources of disruptive innovation," Open Access Publications from Kiel Institute for the World Economy 293964, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    12. , Aisdl, 2020. "Becoming Attuned," OSF Preprints j7f8y, Center for Open Science.
    13. Candiani, Juan Antonio & Gilsing, Victor & Mastrogiorgio, Mariano, 2022. "Technological entry in new niches: Diversity, crowding and generalism," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 116(C).
    14. Teppo Felin & Stuart Kauffman & Todd Zenger, 2023. "Resource origins and search," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(6), pages 1514-1533, June.
    15. James, Steffan & Liu, Zheng & Stephens, Victoria & White, Gareth R.T., 2022. "Innovation in crisis: The role of ‘exaptive relations’ for medical device development in response to COVID-19," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 182(C).
    16. Teppo Felin & Stuart Kauffman, 2023. "Disruptive evolution: harnessing functional excess, experimentation, and science as tool," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 32(6), pages 1372-1392.
    17. , Aisdl, 2020. "The Serendipity Mindset," OSF Preprints w52y9, Center for Open Science.
    18. Codini, Anna Paola & Abbate, Tindara & Messeni Petruzzelli, Antonio, 2023. "Business Model Innovation and exaptation: A new way of innovating in SMEs," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    19. Galvin, Peter & Burton, Nicholas & Nyuur, Richard, 2020. "Leveraging inter-industry spillovers through DIY laboratories: Entrepreneurship and innovation in the global bicycle industry," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    20. Omezzine, Fakher & Bodas Freitas, Isabel Maria, 2022. "New market creation through exaptation: The role of the founding team's prior professional experience," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(5).
    21. Carmona-Lavado, Antonio & Gimenez-Fernandez, Elena M. & Vlaisavljevic, Vesna & Cabello-Medina, Carmen, 2023. "Cross-industry innovation: A systematic literature review," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 124(C).
    22. , Aisdl, 2019. "Resources of The Serendipity Society," OSF Preprints sb9kp, Center for Open Science.
    23. Schweisfurth, Tim G. & Raasch, Christina, 2018. "Absorptive Capacity for Need Knowledge: Antecedents and Effects for Employee Innovativeness," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 47(4), pages 687-699.

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