Technological Exaptation: A Narrative Approach

Garud, Raghu; Gehman, Joel; Giuliani, Antonio

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Technological Exaptation: A Narrative Approach

Industrial and Corporate Change, Forthcoming

36 Pages Posted: 11 Jan 2016

See all articles by Raghu Garud

Joel Gehman

George Washington University - Department of Strategic Management & Public Policy

Antonio Giuliani

IÉSEG School of Management; University of Illinois at Chicago - Department of Managerial Studies

Date Written: January 10, 2016

Abstract

What do the feathers on a bird have in common with the glass in fiber optics? The answer lies in exaptation, a concept that has been creatively repurposed (i.e., exapted) from evolutionary biology to the field of technological innovation. Inspired by this movement, we examine different kinds of biological exaptations and draw analogical links to different kinds of technological exaptations. Going beyond mere analogies, we consider a narrative approach to inducing technological exaptations.

Keywords: narrative, exaptation, innovation, technology

JEL Classification: D90, O31, O32, O33, M14

Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation

Garud, Raghu and Gehman, Joel and Giuliani, Antonio, Technological Exaptation: A Narrative Approach (January 10, 2016). Industrial and Corporate Change, Forthcoming, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2713447