Innovating by Combining: A Process Model

Abstract Innovation studies receive more and more attention recently. Recombining previous workable solutions to generate new solutions is considered to be a generally useful strategy to innovate. However, there are few studies aiming at developing operational process model for innovating by combining except for the model proposed by Majchrzak, et al. Majchrzak, et al used grounded theory to build a model of knowledge reuse process for innovation. But this model is not operational enough for industry people to use. We extend this model by (1) providing a theoretical foundation for it, (2) providing two search criteria, surface similarity and structural similarity for the scan step, and (3) providing a tool called insight matrix for the in-depth analysis step.

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