Options
Using existing knowledge and competencies for knowledge exploration: evidence from established firms
Type
conference paper
Date Issued
2011-06-28
Author(s)
Abstract
Exploration, the search for new and valuable knowledge, is a critical activity for the development of radical innovation and thus for the long-term success of the firm. Although exploration has become a dominant term in analyses of technological innovation, there is scarce insight in how firms actually explore new knowledge. In this paper, we investigate how established market leaders from different industries explore new knowledge aimed at the development of innovation. Specifically, we investigate if and how existing knowledge and competencies are used to explore new knowledge. The results show that the firms use existing technological know-how as a guide for knowledge exploration and as a springboard for the development of new technological competencies. Our findings moderate the view that radical innovation is the result of distant search for new and unfamiliar knowledge and suggest that it is rather a result of intelligent knowledge reuse.
Language
English
Keywords
Exploration
Search
Competencies
Innovation
New Business Development
Knowledge Recombination
HSG Classification
contribution to scientific community
Refereed
Yes
Event Title
R&D Management Conference (RADMA) 2011
Event Location
Norrköping
Event Date
28.-30.06.2011
Subject(s)
Division(s)
Eprints ID
155912