Technological Exaptation to Support Innovation for COVID-19 Pandemic Crisis

R&D Management 2021, https://doi.org/10.1111/radm.12455

29 Pages Posted: 12 Feb 2021

See all articles by Lorenzo Ardito

Lorenzo Ardito

Politecnico di Bari

Mario Coccia

National Research Council of Italy (CNR)

Antonio Messeni Petruzzelli

Politecnico di Bari

Date Written: February 11, 2021

Abstract

One of the problems in the field of technology analysis and innovation management is how new technologies origin and evolve in the presence of environmental threats. The goal of this study is to analyze evolution of innovations to cope with new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) that is generating health and economic concerns worldwide. In the theoretical framework of the technological exaptation, this study analyzes, with a narrative approach, innovative drugs that ended up treating COVID-19 even though they were born to treat other diseases, such as the antiviral drug Remdesivir and the anti-Rheumatoid Arthritis drug Tocilizumab. Results reveal that technological exaptation is one of the sources of innovation to cope with COVID-19 pandemic crisis in the short term and in general of environmental threats. New results here are the departure for creating new models of the origin and evolution of innovation during crises and environmental threats.

Keywords: Technological exaptation; Problem-driven innovation; Evolution of innovation; COVID-19; Crisis management strategy; Sources of innovation, Strategic knowledge, Building Resilience

JEL Classification: O31, O32, O33

Suggested Citation

Ardito, Lorenzo and Coccia, Mario and Messeni Petruzzelli, Antonio, Technological Exaptation to Support Innovation for COVID-19 Pandemic Crisis (February 11, 2021). R&D Management 2021, https://doi.org/10.1111/radm.12455, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3783806 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3783806

Lorenzo Ardito

Politecnico di Bari ( email )

Via Edoardo Orabona
Bari, 70123
Italy

Mario Coccia (Contact Author)

National Research Council of Italy (CNR) ( email )

Via San Martino della battaglia, 44
Roma, 00185
Italy
+390116824925 (Phone)
+390116824966 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://www.ircres.cnr.it/index.php/it/staffircres/42-cv

Antonio Messeni Petruzzelli

Politecnico di Bari ( email )

Via Edoardo Orabona
Bari, 70123
Italy

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