This paper explores the relationship between uncertainty and innovation. It distinguishes three kinds of uncertainty: truth uncertainty, semantic uncertainty, and ontological uncertainty, the latter of which is particularly important for innovation processes. The paper then develops some implications of ontological uncertainty for innovation processes at three levels of organization, by means of three theories: a narrative theory of action at the level of individual economic actors; the theory of generative relationships at the meso-level of agent interaction; and the theory of scaffolding structures at the macro-level of market systems. These theories are illustrated by means of examples drawn from a prospective study on the emergence of a new market system around a technology for distributed control.

Ontological uncertainty and innovation / Lane, David Avra; R. R., Maxfield. - In: JOURNAL OF EVOLUTIONARY ECONOMICS. - ISSN 0936-9937. - STAMPA. - 15:(2005), pp. 3-50. [10.1007/s00191-004-0227-7]

Ontological uncertainty and innovation

LANE, David Avra;
2005

Abstract

This paper explores the relationship between uncertainty and innovation. It distinguishes three kinds of uncertainty: truth uncertainty, semantic uncertainty, and ontological uncertainty, the latter of which is particularly important for innovation processes. The paper then develops some implications of ontological uncertainty for innovation processes at three levels of organization, by means of three theories: a narrative theory of action at the level of individual economic actors; the theory of generative relationships at the meso-level of agent interaction; and the theory of scaffolding structures at the macro-level of market systems. These theories are illustrated by means of examples drawn from a prospective study on the emergence of a new market system around a technology for distributed control.
2005
15
3
50
Ontological uncertainty and innovation / Lane, David Avra; R. R., Maxfield. - In: JOURNAL OF EVOLUTIONARY ECONOMICS. - ISSN 0936-9937. - STAMPA. - 15:(2005), pp. 3-50. [10.1007/s00191-004-0227-7]
Lane, David Avra; R. R., Maxfield
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
ouifinal.pdf

Accesso riservato

Tipologia: Versione dell'autore revisionata e accettata per la pubblicazione
Dimensione 433.64 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
433.64 kB Adobe PDF   Visualizza/Apri   Richiedi una copia
Pubblicazioni consigliate

Licenza Creative Commons
I metadati presenti in IRIS UNIMORE sono rilasciati con licenza Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal, mentre i file delle pubblicazioni sono rilasciati con licenza Attribuzione 4.0 Internazionale (CC BY 4.0), salvo diversa indicazione.
In caso di violazione di copyright, contattare Supporto Iris

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11380/305253
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus 188
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 150
social impact