Novedad de productos y características intrínsecas de los recursos en la innovación

Abstract

In general, the literature on recombinant innovation is unspecific about the novelty achieved when developing products: it results from recombinations, always novel, of existing knowledge. This view limits the types of recombinations and resources used when innovating. It would not explain the diversity of resources and recombinations associated with high, medium, and low product novelty. This paper investigates which intrinsic or constitutive characteristics of resources would facilitate less or more novel recombinations and why this would occur. The construction of explanatory typologies as a theoretical tool was the chosen methodology. The resulting typology of intrinsic characteristics states the literature focuses on existing resources likely associated with low novelty recombinations and products. A high novelty would require intrinsic characteristics facilitating the recombination of tangible resources and knowledge to form new resources. Though, the most frequent intrinsic characteristics promote medium novelty recombinations and products. With the typology, companies could evaluate ex ante the innovative potential of their resources and, thus, the novelty of recombinations and products they would facilitate. It also contributes to the literature by proposing that resources are more than existing knowledge and are intrinsically heterogeneous. Tangible resources would also be essential to create novelty. In this regard, recombinations would not always be novel. There would be specific relationships between types of resources and the novelty of recombinations and products. Theoretical propositions and a formal model suggest the possibility of predicting and quantifying these relationships.