Essays on Breakthrough Emergence

Abstract

My dissertation examines why some firms are more prone to develop breakthrough innovations than others. Specifically, I explore how a firm’s past accumulation of knowledge impacts its capacity to make breakthrough innovations. Breakthrough inventions have the potential to transform industries, drive economic growth, and create opportunities for future technological advancement. They have thus long been a focal topic of research in the fields of strategy, management, and organizational behavior. My dissertation builds on this prior research, which made strides in illuminating firm processes behind breakthroughs. However, in each of my three chapters, I make a novel contribution to the existing literature. My dissertation advances scholarly understanding of how breakthroughs emerge and offers practical insights for managers leading firms’ innovation efforts.