The dialectics of serendipity

Miguel Pina e Cunha, Arménio Rego, Stewart Clegg and Greg Lindsay

European Management Journal, 2015, vol. 33, issue 1, 9-18

Abstract: Serendipity in organizations has often been perceived as a mysterious occurrence. We approach the process of serendipity via reconsideration of Honda's entry into the US market using an alternate templates analysis, showing that serendipity can be conceptually interpreted as the synthesis of preparation and openness to novelty, articulated through generative doubt. In this sense, it can be thought of as a dialectical process that thrives through the creative synthesis of the existing and the new. It is a practical accomplishment rather than an organizational form of mystery.

Keywords: Serendipity; Honda effect; Doubt; Alternate templates; Dialectics (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:eurman:v:33:y:2015:i:1:p:9-18

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DOI: 10.1016/j.emj.2014.11.001

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