Branching innovation, recombinant innovation, and endogenous technological transitions

被引：50
作者：
Frenken, Koen [1 ]
Izquierdo, Luis R. [2 ]
Zeppini, Paolo [1 ,3 ]
机构：
[1] Eindhoven Univ Technol, Sch Innovat Sci, Eindhoven, Netherlands
[2] Univ Burgos, Burgos, Spain
[3] Univ Amsterdam, Fac Econ & Business, CeNDEF, Amsterdam, Netherlands
来源：
ENVIRONMENTAL INNOVATION AND SOCIETAL TRANSITIONS | 2012年 / 4卷
关键词：
Lock-in; Network externalities; Punctuated change; Switching costs; Variety;
D O I：
10.1016/j.eist.2012.06.001
中图分类号：
X [环境科学、安全科学];
学科分类号：
08 ; 0830 ;
摘要：
We propose a model of technological transitions based on two different types of innovations. Branching innovations refer to technological improvements along a particular path, while recombinant innovations represent fusions of multiple paths. Recombinant innovations create "short-cuts" which reduce switching costs allowing agents to escape a technological lock-in. As a result, recombinant innovations speed up technological progress allowing transitions that are impossible with only branching innovations. Our model replicates some stylised facts of technological change, such as technological lock-in, experimental failure, punctuated change and irreversibility. Furthermore, an extensive simulation experiment suggests that there is an optimal rate of innovation, which is strongly correlated with the number of recombination innovations. This underlines the pivotal role of technological variety as a seed for recombinant innovation leading to technological transitions. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
引用
收藏
页码：25 / 35
页数：11
相关论文
共 16 条
  • [1] COMPETING TECHNOLOGIES, INCREASING RETURNS, AND LOCK-IN BY HISTORICAL EVENTS
    ARTHUR, WB
    [J]. ECONOMIC JOURNAL, 1989, 99 (394) : 116 - 131
  • [2] Nonlinear stochastic effects of substitution - An evolutionary approach
    Bruckner, E
    Ebeling, W
    Montano, MAJ
    Scharnhorst, A
    [J]. JOURNAL OF EVOLUTIONARY ECONOMICS, 1996, 6 (01) : 1 - 30
  • [3] Carayol N., 2007, Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, V18, P167, DOI 10.1016/j.strueco.2006.05.001
  • [4] DAVID PA, 1985, AM ECON REV, V75, P332
  • [5] Modelling the evolution and diversity of cumulative culture
    Enquist, Magnus
    Ghirlanda, Stefano
    Eriksson, Kimmo
    [J]. PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES, 2011, 366 (1563) : 412 - 423
  • [6] Recombinant uncertainty in technological search
    Fleming, L
    [J]. MANAGEMENT SCIENCE, 2001, 47 (01) : 117 - 132
  • [7] Technology as a complex adaptive system: evidence from patent data
    Fleming, L
    Sorenson, O
    [J]. RESEARCH POLICY, 2001, 30 (07) : 1019 - 1039
  • [8] Variety and niche creation in aircraft, helicopters, motorcycles and microcomputers
    Frenken, K
    Saviotti, PP
    Trommetter, M
    [J]. RESEARCH POLICY, 1999, 28 (05) : 469 - 488
  • [9] Garud R, 2001, LEAS ORG MAN SERIES, P1
  • [10] Path Dependence or Path Creation?
    Garud, Raghu
    Kumaraswamy, Arun
    Karnoe, Peter
    [J]. JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES, 2010, 47 (04) : 760 - 774
12