Measuring Exaptation and Its Impact on Innovation, Search, and Problem Solving
A substantial share of new drug functions arise through exaptation, the repurposing of existing artifacts for unforeseen uses, and this mechanism is closely tied to the most radical innovations, which tend to emerge in markets distant from a drug's original use.
Summary
Andriani, Ali, and Mastrogiorgio measure how often exaptation, the discovery of latent new functions in existing products, occurs in the pharmaceutical industry. They find that about 42 percent of new drug functions are exaptive and that most radical innovations in their sample arise this way, typically in market areas far from the drug's original purpose. The study suggests firms seeking breakthrough innovation should actively look for
Editor's opinion
The underlying idea (exaptation -- repurposing for unforeseen uses as an innovation source) is transferable, though the study itself is pharma-specific.
Key concepts
Exaptation · Radical innovation · Pharmaceutical industry