Exploring the Foundations of Cumulative Innovation: Implications for Organization Science

Organizational theorists have built a deep understanding of the conditions affecting knowledge sharing. However, for innovation to occur, knowledge must not just be shared, but also reused, recombined, and accumulated. Such accumulation is not inherent to the innovation process but can be either sup...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inOrganization science (Providence, R.I.) Vol. 18; no. 6; p. 1006
Main Authors Murray, Fiona, O'Mahony, Siobhán
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Linthicum Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences 01.11.2007
Subjects
Innovations
Intellectual property
Knowledge management
Management science
Organization theory
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Summary:Organizational theorists have built a deep understanding of the conditions affecting knowledge sharing. However, for innovation to occur, knowledge must not just be shared, but also reused, recombined, and accumulated. Such accumulation is not inherent to the innovation process but can be either supported or limited by the context in which it occurs. We propose a framework arguing that three conditions shape this context: disclosure, access, and rewards. We show how these conditions operate at the institutional, field, community, and organizational levels. Our framework highlights how when innovators encounter barriers to the accumulation of knowledge, their solutions are often organizational ones rather than legal ones. This suggests an expanding terrain for organizational scholars interested in debates often dominated by law and economics. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]
ISSN:1047-7039
1526-5455
DOI:10.1287/orsc.1070.0325