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From ignorance to innovation: Serendipitous and purposeful mobility in creative processes – The cases of biotechnology, legal services and board games

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  • Verena Brinks
  • Oliver Ibert
  • Felix C. Müller
  • Suntje Schmidt

Abstract

In this paper, we are concerned with the relationship between creativity, ignorance and mobility. We understand creativity as a social process of recombination, which is strongly shaped by the actors’ lack of knowledge (or: ignorance) and thus argue in favor of a conceptual shift: Instead of analyzing creativity from a knowledge perspective, the analytical focus is on the participants’ evolving ignorance. In a qualitative multiple-case study research of creative processes in three domains, biotechnology, legal services and board game design, we explore the time-spatial dynamics of collaboration under the influence of two distinct forms of ignorance: unrecognized and specified ignorance. Initially, participants do not know what they do not know and are unable to purposefully directed search for inspiration. In this stage, overlapping local opportunities play a significant role to afford serendipitous encounters. Creative processes take a decisive turn, once participants manage to specify their ignorance. It becomes possible to circumscribe missing expertise and to search for it more purposefully – or to intentionally refrain from further inquiry. Now mutual attraction of experts enables interaction across distance. Places deemed irrelevant are circumvented.

Suggested Citation

  • Verena Brinks & Oliver Ibert & Felix C. Müller & Suntje Schmidt, 2018. "From ignorance to innovation: Serendipitous and purposeful mobility in creative processes – The cases of biotechnology, legal services and board games," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 50(8), pages 1742-1763, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:envira:v:50:y:2018:i:8:p:1742-1763
    DOI: 10.1177/0308518X18758327
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    References listed on IDEAS

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