Serendipity, Error & Exaptation
Serendipity
Serendipitous innovations occur when people are not actively seeking a benefit or solution or actively inventing. These innovations come as a surprise to the inventor as well as to the market.
In 1938, Ruth Wakefield (part owner of the Toll House Inn in Massachusetts) decided to make cookies for expected guests. When she arrived in the kitchen she realized she did not have bakers’ chocolate and hastily decided to chop up a bar of semi-sweet chocolate and add it to her ingredients (Kabir, 2023).
The yummy result of this hasty action
turned into a worldwide sensation called Chocolate Chip Cookies. This serendipitous innovation paid off when one
year later, Ms. Wakefield allowed Nestle to use the recipe and the Toll House
brand was born (Kabir, 2023).
Error
Innovations that occur by Error are accidental in nature and are products (or services) that were meant to be a solution or benefit in other ways.
An example of this would be the popular product Post-its.
Chemist, Dr. Spencer Silver was in the process of experimenting with formulas to create stronger adhesives in 1968 (Bellis, 2019b, Skonord, 2021). This work led to the discovery of microspheres which is an adhesive substance that removes easily from surfaces (Post-it.com, n.d.). Even though the substance did not create a strong bond, Dr. Silver believed that the product could be useful and promoted it constantly (Skonord, 2021).
Several years later Art Fry- a scientist
who worked at the same company as Dr. Silver (3M), contacted Dr. Silver to
collaborate on a product which could potentially solve a problem with bookmarking.
They developed the sticky note originally known as, Press ‘n Peel and which
later became known as Post-it notes (Bellis, 2019b, Post-it.com, n.d.).
In 2024 The Post-It note market size was 200.09 Million with a CAGR of
1.07% to 2033 -for a market valued at 206.59 million (Global Market Statistics,
n.d.).
Exaptation
Of the three methods of invention being discussed Exaptation reveals itself to be the one with multiple applications. Exaptation occurs when an invention or innovation is created for one purpose but is repurposed to provide benefit or solutions in a different area.
Percy LeBaron Spencer is credited with the invention of the Microwave oven. When he discovered this invention in 1945, he was seeking a way to make a radar tool called magnetrons more efficient (Omnispear, 2024). During this process he noticed changes in the state of nearby food which would occur whenever he or his associates worked on the magnetrons. The changes in state peaked his curiosity and in 1945 after further experiments the Microwave oven was patented (Omnispear, 2024).
The Microwave
oven is an example of exaptation because it came about from work on an existing
product, the magnetrons (Andriani & Cattani, 2016).
Global Market Insights noted that in 2024 the Microwave
market was valued at 10.5 billion dollars with a CAGR of 4.6 % plus with a
market value of 16.3 billion by 2034 (Singh & Singh, 2024).
If an innovation is created or discovered intentionally, serendipitously,
by error or exaptation the development requires an atmosphere of openness, empowerment
and experimentation to grow (Skonord, 2021).
When the inventor(s) are enabled in such an atmosphere, the
possibilities become reality.
References
Andriani, P., & Cattani, G. (2016).
Exaptation as source of creativity, innovation, and diversity: Introduction to
the special section. Industrial and Corporate Change, 25(1), 115-131. https://doi.org/10.1093/icc/dtv053
Bellis, M.
(2019b, October 16). Invention of the post-it note. ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-post-it-note-1992326
Global Market
Statistics. (n.d.). Post-it & sticky
notes market size, share | Global Research [2033]. https://www.globalmarketstatistics.com/market-reports/post-it-sticky-notes-market-10894
Kabir, S. R.
(2023, December 11). Who invented chocolate chip cookies? Story of the blissful
biscuit | history cooperative. History Cooperative. https://historycooperative.org/who-invented-chocolate-chip-cookies/
Omnispear.
(2024, February 13). Wilson Greatbatch. Engineering & science hall of fame.
https://eshalloffame.org/inductee/wilson-greatbatch/
Post-it.com
(n.d.). About us: MMM-ext. https://www.post-it.com/3M/en_US/post-it/contact-us/about-us/
Singh,
S., & Singh, A. (2024). Microwave oven Market - by product type, by
structure, by capacity, by power, by price range, by end use, by distribution
channel analysis, share, growth Forecast, 2025 to 2034. In Global Market
Insights Inc. https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/microwave-oven-market
Skonord,
C.(2021, February 19). Post-it notes: An employee idea that was originally a mistake.
Ideawake.
https://ideawake.com/post-it-notes-employee-idea-that-was-originally-mistake/
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