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Pre-adaptation, exaptation and technology speciation: a comment on Cattani (2006)

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  • Nicholas Dew

Abstract

A recent article in this journal by Cattani ( 2006 ) pointed out that some part of a firm's technological knowledge base may be accumulated without anticipation of its subsequent uses but may later prove to have valuable applications. He called this technological pre-adaptation . This comment suggests that pre-adaptation is a confusing concept and offers an alternative term—exaptation—that might better describe the process Cattani refers to. Copyright 2007 , Oxford University Press.

Suggested Citation

  • Nicholas Dew, 2007. "Pre-adaptation, exaptation and technology speciation: a comment on Cattani (2006) ," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 16(1), pages 155-160, February.
  • Handle: RePEc:oup:indcch:v:16:y:2007:i:1:p:155-160
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    Cited by:

    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. 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).
    4. 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).
    5. Shubha Patvardhan & J. Ramachandran, 2020. "Shaping the Future: Strategy Making as Artificial Evolution," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 31(3), pages 671-697, May.
    6. Joseph Bozorgmehr, 2012. "Natural selection as a paradigm of opportunism in biology," Journal of Bioeconomics, Springer, vol. 14(1), pages 61-75, April.

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