IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/joiaen/v10y2021i1d10.1186_s13731-020-00138-0.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

From innovation-as-usual towards unusual innovation: using nature as an inspiration

Author

Listed:
  • John P. Ulhøi

    (Aarhus University)

Abstract

Innovation-as-usual employs synthetic input as the key source of inspiration to bring about innovations, whereas unusual innovation is inspired by designs in nature. The use of nature as a key stimulus for innovation represents a fundamental shift in management and business studies. It involves the translation of natural designs into cross-domain and ad hoc synthetic designs. This paper examines and discusses the phenomenon of biomimetics and different examples of its application. Efficient translation of biomimetics involves the critical processes of exploration, explanation and exploitation. This paper discusses a practical case of biomimetic translation and identifies some critical and greatly understudied translational processes. The paper proposes techniques to correct existing translational imperfections and to establish theoretical bridging points to responsible management practices. Before concluding, research and managerial implications are briefly addressed.

Suggested Citation

  • John P. Ulhøi, 2021. "From innovation-as-usual towards unusual innovation: using nature as an inspiration," Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 10(1), pages 1-21, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:joiaen:v:10:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1186_s13731-020-00138-0
    DOI: 10.1186/s13731-020-00138-0
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1186/s13731-020-00138-0
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1186/s13731-020-00138-0?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Armand Hatchuel & Camila Freitas Salgueiredo, 2016. "Beyond analogy: A model of bioinspiration for creative design," Post-Print hal-01396212, HAL.
    2. Kellar Autumn & Yiching A. Liang & S. Tonia Hsieh & Wolfgang Zesch & Wai Pang Chan & Thomas W. Kenny & Ronald Fearing & Robert J. Full, 2000. "Adhesive force of a single gecko foot-hair," Nature, Nature, vol. 405(6787), pages 681-685, June.
    3. Jennifer Fewell, 2015. "Social Biomimicry: what do ants and bees tell us about organization in the natural world?," Journal of Bioeconomics, Springer, vol. 17(3), pages 207-216, October.
    4. Tak-Sing Wong & Sung Hoon Kang & Sindy K. Y. Tang & Elizabeth J. Smythe & Benjamin D. Hatton & Alison Grinthal & Joanna Aizenberg, 2011. "Bioinspired self-repairing slippery surfaces with pressure-stable omniphobicity," Nature, Nature, vol. 477(7365), pages 443-447, September.
    5. Martina Keitsch & Nina Louise Volstad & Casper Boks, 2012. "On the use of Biomimicry as a Useful Tool for the Industrial Designer," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 20(3), pages 189-199, May.
    6. Wright, Mike & Robbie, Ken & Ennew, Christine, 1997. "Venture capitalists and serial entrepreneurs," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 12(3), pages 227-249, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Patzelt, Holger & zu Knyphausen-Aufseß, Dodo & Fischer, Heiko T., 2009. "Upper echelons and portfolio strategies of venture capital firms," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 24(6), pages 558-572, November.
    2. Leon Schjoedt, 2021. "Exploring differences between novice and repeat entrepreneurs: does stress mediate the effects of work-and-family conflict on entrepreneurs’ satisfaction?," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 56(4), pages 1251-1272, April.
    3. Parker, Simon C., 2013. "Do serial entrepreneurs run successively better-performing businesses?," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 28(5), pages 652-666.
    4. Wood, Matthew S. & McKelvie, Alexander & Haynie, J. Michael, 2014. "Making it personal: Opportunity individuation and the shaping of opportunity beliefs," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 29(2), pages 252-272.
    5. Danny Miller & Cyrille Sardais, 2015. "Bifurcating Time: How Entrepreneurs Reconcile the Paradoxical Demands of the Job," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 39(3), pages 489-512, May.
    6. Gottschalk, Sandra & Greene, Francis J. & Höwer, Daniel & Müller, Bettina, 2014. "If you don't succeed, should you try again? The role of entrepreneurial experience in venture survival," ZEW Discussion Papers 14-009, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    7. Schwienbacher, Armin, 2007. "A theoretical analysis of optimal financing strategies for different types of capital-constrained entrepreneurs," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 22(6), pages 753-781, November.
    8. Anokhin, Sergey & Morgan, Todd & Schulze, William & Wuebker, Robert, 2022. "Is a reputation for misconduct harmful? Evidence from corporate venture capital," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 138(C), pages 65-76.
    9. Sergey Anokhin & Dietmar Grichnik & Robert D. Hisrich, 2008. "The Journey from Novice to Serial Entrepreneurship in China and Germany: Are the Drivers the Same?," Managing Global Transitions, University of Primorska, Faculty of Management Koper, vol. 6(2), pages 117-142.
    10. Christos Kolympiris & Sebastian Hoenen & Nicholas Kalaitzandonakes, 2018. "Geographic distance between venture capitalists and target firms and the value of quality signals," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 27(1), pages 189-220.
    11. Florin, Juan, 2005. "Is venture capital worth it? Effects on firm performance and founder returns," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 20(1), pages 113-135, January.
    12. Vincenzo Butticè & Carlotta Orsenigo & Mike Wright, 2018. "The effect of information asymmetries on serial crowdfunding and campaign success," Economia e Politica Industriale: Journal of Industrial and Business Economics, Springer;Associazione Amici di Economia e Politica Industriale, vol. 45(2), pages 143-173, June.
    13. Sophie Manigart & Koen De Waele* & Mike Wright & Ken Robbie & Philippe Desbrières & Harry Sapienza & Amy Beekman, 2000. "Venture capitalists, investment appraisal and accounting information: a comparative study of the USA, UK, France, Belgium and Holland," European Financial Management, European Financial Management Association, vol. 6(3), pages 389-403, September.
    14. Patel, Pankaj C. & Tsionas, Mike & Oghazi, Pejvak & Izquierdo, Vanessa, 2022. "No entrepreneur steps in the same river twice: Limited learning advantage for serial entrepreneurs," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 142(C), pages 1038-1052.
    15. Aapo Länsiluoto & Elina Varamäki & Erkki K. Laitinen & Anmari Viljamaa & Juha Tall, 2015. "Management Control Systems in Small Business Transfers — A Resource-Based View," Journal of Enterprising Culture (JEC), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 23(04), pages 449-471, December.
    16. Paul Robson & Charles Akuetteh & Paul Westhead & Mike Wright, 2012. "Innovative opportunity pursuit, human capital and business ownership experience in an emerging region: evidence from Ghana," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 39(3), pages 603-625, October.
    17. Hongmiao Tian & Duorui Wang & Yahui Zhang & Yuanze Jiang & Tianci Liu & Xiangming Li & Chunhui Wang & Xiaoliang Chen & Jinyou Shao, 2022. "Core–shell dry adhesives for rough surfaces via electrically responsive self-growing strategy," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-12, December.
    18. Natalie Brüne & Eva Lutz, 2020. "The effect of entrepreneurship education in schools on entrepreneurial outcomes: a systematic review," Management Review Quarterly, Springer, vol. 70(2), pages 275-305, May.
    19. Roger A. Sauer, 2009. "Multiscale modelling and simulation of the deformation and adhesion of a single gecko seta," Computer Methods in Biomechanics and Biomedical Engineering, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 12(6), pages 627-640.
    20. Erik Stam & David Audretsch & Joris Meijaard, 2009. "Renascent entrepreneurship," Springer Books, in: Uwe Cantner & Jean-Luc Gaffard & Lionel Nesta (ed.), Schumpeterian Perspectives on Innovation, Competition and Growth, pages 223-237, Springer.
      • Stam, F.C. & Audretsch, D.B. & Meijaard, J., 2006. "Renascent Entrepreneurship," ERIM Report Series Research in Management ERS-2006-017-ORG, Erasmus Research Institute of Management (ERIM), ERIM is the joint research institute of the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University and the Erasmus School of Economics (ESE) at Erasmus University Rotterdam.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:joiaen:v:10:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1186_s13731-020-00138-0. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.