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Knowledge diversity and team creativity: How hobbyists beat professional designers in creating novel board games

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  • Pollok, Patrick
  • Amft, André
  • Diener, Kathleen
  • Lüttgens, Dirk
  • Piller, Frank T.

Abstract

This study adds to the literature on household sector (HHS) innovation by investigating how user and professional designer teams differ in their ability to translate knowledge diversity into collective creative output. We test our hypotheses on a unique data set of more than 5,000 board game design projects conducted by either teams of professional game designers or by hobbyist (user) designers. Our study lends support for the notion that knowledge diversity is a double-edged sword that has opposing effects on the two dimensions of team creativity, novelty and usefulness. We argue and find that teams composed of self-rewarded users in the household sector are better able than teams of professionals to translate the informational benefits of knowledge diversity into novel concepts and game designs. Finally, we find that user teams are in general more likely to create truly creative (i.e. novel and useful) game designs. This particular result emphasizes the relevance of research on HHS innovation and shows that user designers from the HHS are able to conduct collective development work more effectively than teams of professional designers.

Suggested Citation

  • Pollok, Patrick & Amft, André & Diener, Kathleen & Lüttgens, Dirk & Piller, Frank T., 2021. "Knowledge diversity and team creativity: How hobbyists beat professional designers in creating novel board games," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(8).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:respol:v:50:y:2021:i:8:s0048733320302481
    DOI: 10.1016/j.respol.2020.104174
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    Cited by:

    1. Yujie Wang & Guijie Qi, 2022. "Sustainable Knowledge Contribution in Open Innovation Platforms: An Absorptive Capacity Perspective on Network Effects," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-17, May.
    2. John T. Scott, 2023. "Research Diversity and Invention," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 62(2), pages 179-197, March.
    3. Mulhuijzen, Max & de Jong, Jeroen P.J., 2024. "Diffusion to peers in firm-hosted user innovation communities: Contributions by professional versus amateur users," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 53(1).
    4. Borner, Kathrin & Berends, Hans & Deken, Fleur & Feldberg, Frans, 2023. "Another pathway to complementarity: How users and intermediaries identify and create new combinations in innovation ecosystems," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(7).
    5. de Jong, Jeroen P.J. & Ben-Menahem, Shiko M. & Franke, Nikolaus & Füller, Johann & von Krogh, Georg, 2021. "Treading new ground in household sector innovation research: Scope, emergence, business implications, and diffusion," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(8).
    6. van der Wouden, Frank & Youn, Hyejin, 2023. "The impact of geographical distance on learning through collaboration," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(2).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Team creativity; User innovation; Free innovation; Household sector; Knowledge diversity; Information processing; Shared mental models JEL: L20; L67; O30; O31;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L20 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - General
    • L67 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Manufacturing - - - Other Consumer Nondurables: Clothing, Textiles, Shoes, and Leather Goods; Household Goods; Sports Equipment
    • O30 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - General
    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives

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