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An Exploration of Discerning Search

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  • Joel M. Podolny

    (Apple University, Cupertino, California 95014)

Abstract

This paper argues that great strategies come from individuals or organizations that engage in “discerning search.” A discerning searcher has heightened taste, sensitivity, and judgment as to how individual elements of a strategy contribute to overall organizational fitness. This paper draws on Kauffman’s (1993) [ Kauffman S (1993) The Origins of Order: Self-Organization and Selection in Evolution (Oxford University Press, New York).] NK model to compare the fitness impact of local and discerning search. The more rugged the fitness landscape, the more that discerning search outperforms local search. Organizations capable of performing discerning search in rugged landscapes are able to overcome what are generally regarded as inevitable trade-offs between organizational exploration and exploitation. Implications for modularization and organizational design are briefly discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Joel M. Podolny, 2018. "An Exploration of Discerning Search," Strategy Science, INFORMS, vol. 3(1), pages 295-305, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:orstsc:v:3:y:2018:i:1:p:295-305
    DOI: 10.1287/stsc.2017.0051
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. James G. March, 1991. "Exploration and Exploitation in Organizational Learning," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 2(1), pages 71-87, February.
    2. Sendil K. Ethiraj & Daniel Levinthal, 2004. "Modularity and Innovation in Complex Systems," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 50(2), pages 159-173, February.
    3. Teppo Felin & Stuart Kauffman & Roger Koppl & Giuseppe Longo, 2014. "Economic Opportunity and Evolution: Beyond Landscapes and Bounded Rationality," Post-Print hal-01415115, HAL.
    4. Daniel A. Levinthal, 1997. "Adaptation on Rugged Landscapes," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 43(7), pages 934-950, July.
    5. Koen Frenken, 2006. "Innovation, Evolution and Complexity Theory," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 2939.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    Cited by:

    1. Darío Blanco-Fernández & Stephan Leitner & Alexandra Rausch, 2023. "Interactions between the individual and the group level in organizations: The case of learning and group turnover," Central European Journal of Operations Research, Springer;Slovak Society for Operations Research;Hungarian Operational Research Society;Czech Society for Operations Research;Österr. Gesellschaft für Operations Research (ÖGOR);Slovenian Society Informatika - Section for Operational Research;Croatian Operational Research Society, vol. 31(4), pages 1087-1128, December.
    2. Giovanni Gavetti & Joe Porac, 2018. "On the Origin of Great Strategies," Strategy Science, INFORMS, vol. 3(1), pages 352-365, March.
    3. Dario Blanco-Fernandez & Stephan Leitner & Alexandra Rausch, 2022. "Interactions between the individual and the group level in organizations: The case of learning and autonomous group adaptation," Papers 2203.09162, arXiv.org.

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