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Exaptation as source of creativity, innovation, and diversity: introduction to the Special Section

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  • Pierpaolo Andriani
  • Gino Cattani

Abstract

Exaptation is one of the most important and, yet, little studied evolutionary mechanisms in the history of species, ecosystems, and artifacts (e.g., technologies). Many, if not most, of all biological traits and human artifacts that were developed for particular functions started as something different: feathers were most likely selected for thermal insulation, bones originated as excess calcium repositories, microwave ovens started life as radar magnetrons. Exaptation thus describes a discontinuous evolutionary process resulting from a functional shift of an existing trait or artifact. Despite the importance of the concept, even the term exaptation still remains largely unknown outside the field of evolutionary biology. The main purpose of this special section is to introduce the concept of exaptation to a broader audience, discuss its significance, and expose its contribution to the (possible) solution of long-standing, yet unresolved, questions about the emergence of novelty, particularly radical innovation.

Suggested Citation

  • Pierpaolo Andriani & Gino Cattani, 2016. "Exaptation as source of creativity, innovation, and diversity: introduction to the Special Section," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 25(1), pages 115-131.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:indcch:v:25:y:2016:i:1:p:115-131.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/icc/dtv053
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    1. Dosi, Giovanni & Lamperti, Francesco & Mazzucato, Mariana & Napoletano, Mauro & Roventini, Andrea, 2023. "Mission-oriented policies and the “Entrepreneurial State” at work: An agent-based exploration," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).
    2. Giovanni Gavetti & Constance E. Helfat & Luigi Marengo, 2017. "Searching, Shaping, and the Quest for Superior Performance," Strategy Science, INFORMS, vol. 2(3), pages 194-209, September.
    3. 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).
    4. 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.
    5. , Aisdl, 2019. "Discovery Driven Innovation," OSF Preprints 5kswc, Center for Open Science.
    6. Rani Jeanne Dang, 2018. "From a hint of perfume to a sip of whisky: the recombination of knowledge from fragrance to spirits industry," Post-Print halshs-01795037, HAL.
    7. Erdem Dogukan Yilmaz & Tim Meyer & Milan Miric, 2023. "Preventing Others from Commercializing Your Innovation: Evidence from Creative Commons Licenses," Papers 2309.00536, arXiv.org.
    8. 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).
    9. Simone, Cristina & Barile, Sergio & Grandinetti, Roberto, 2021. "The emergence of new market spaces: Brokerage and firm cognitive endowment," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 457-466.
    10. 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).
    11. 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).
    12. Malhotra, Abhishek & Zhang, Huiting & Beuse, Martin & Schmidt, Tobias, 2021. "How do new use environments influence a technology's knowledge trajectory? A patent citation network analysis of lithium-ion battery technology," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(9).
    13. Mastrogiorgio, Mariano & Gilsing, Victor, 2016. "Innovation through exaptation and its determinants: The role of technological complexity, analogy making & patent scope," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(7), pages 1419-1435.
    14. , Aisdl, 2020. "Becoming Attuned," OSF Preprints j7f8y, Center for Open Science.
    15. Teppo Felin & Stuart Kauffman & Todd Zenger, 2023. "Resource origins and search," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(6), pages 1514-1533, June.
    16. Shubha Patvardhan & J. Ramachandran, 2020. "Shaping the Future: Strategy Making as Artificial Evolution," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 31(3), pages 671-697, May.
    17. 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).
    18. 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.
    19. , Aisdl, 2020. "The Serendipity Mindset," OSF Preprints w52y9, Center for Open Science.
    20. 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).
    21. Paiola, Marco & Schiavone, Francesco & Khvatova, Tatiana & Grandinetti, Roberto, 2021. "Prior knowledge, industry 4.0 and digital servitization. An inductive framework," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    22. 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).
    23. Narayanamurti, Venkatesh & Tsao, Jeffrey Y., 2024. "How technoscientific knowledge advances: A Bell-Labs-inspired architecture," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 53(4).
    24. , Aisdl, 2019. "Resources of The Serendipity Society," OSF Preprints sb9kp, Center for Open Science.
    25. Trushin, Eshref & Ugur, Mehmet, 2018. "Ecosystem complexity, firm learning and survival: UK evidence on intra-industry age and size diversity as exit hazards," Greenwich Papers in Political Economy 19095, University of Greenwich, Greenwich Political Economy Research Centre.

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