Innovation and Discoveries

Some features of innovation are that many discoveries occur by chance instead of design. This trait is significantly more essential than a sudden change. Because of this "contingency is significantly higher than planned" aspect, it is harder to trace the genesis of an innovative idea (Roberts, 1989). 

  Usefulness through Discovery 

 Pfizer's Viagra, which cures erectile dysfunction in males, originally aimed to create medications to treat cardiovascular disease. Marletta (2017) discovered that not only did Pfizer earn financially from creating the globe's most well-known medicine for treating sexual dysfunction, but the condition itself was left untreated as a result. 

  Discovery through Error 

 The founders of Google and Instagram (a photo-editing app) both wanted to start a mobile gaming company instead of a search service. In contrast, the founders of Twitter (a prominent social media platform) wanted to allow users to recognize podcasts instead of a social network. (Schroeder et al., 1989) state that to put it another way, innovation has emerged in a way that these basic assumptions could never have predicted. Percy Spencer, a senior engineer at the American armaments firm Raytheon, discovered the temperature gradient of microwaves by mistake (GANESH & MITTAL, 2020). Paternity testing and crime detection now employ gene recognition technology created originally to examine human Genetic mutation. This technique was originally designed to analyze human Gene mutation. And during the process of being developed, it was determined that everyone's DNA is unique. Currently, the societal impact of this innovation is on par with that of medical advances, if not superior.

  Progressive more than sudden 

 (Larson et al., 2013) assert that insights left by several developments in our lives can be found if we pay attention. Electric kettles are now in nearly every home, allowing people to make and consume boiling, germ-free drinkable water whenever they choose. Attempting this in a time without electricity is impossible. Boiling water over a wood-burning stove is a laborious process. What in the world are you thinking? Even the commonplace flush toilets of today's dwellings are a valuable invention. Most people's lives would be unlivable if they didn't have access to these water tanks, toilets, and S-shaped curves. According to ancient Chinese medicine theory, toilets at that time had a cross-flow of feces and bugs that flew indiscriminately as far away from the toilet as possible. Due to the widespread usage of flush toilets nowadays, it is not an exaggeration to suggest that modern toilets can be cleaner than old kitchens, where bugs and flies are always buzzing around. (Dew et al., 2004) contend that as a result, the invention is fraught with chance and uncertainty. Investing in new enterprises in the capital market is extremely tough, as this information demonstrates in great detail. It is difficult for investors who do not work in the industry to make sound decisions when scientists and problem solvers themselves cannot predict what their ideas will be or how they will be used in society. 

 References 

 Dew, N., Sarasvathy, S. D., & Venkataraman, S. (2004). The economic implications of exaptation.                  Journal of Evolutionary Economics, 14(1), 69-84. 

 GANESH, M., & MITTAL, P. (2020). CASE STUDY: MICROWAVE OVENS. 

 Larson, G., Stephens, P. A., Tehrani, J. J., & Layton, R. H. (2013). Exapting exaptation. Trends in 

           ecology & evolution, 28(9), 497-498. 

 Marletta, M. A. (2017). Serendipity in discovery: from nitric oxide to Viagra. Proceedings of the 

            American Philosophical Society, 161(3), 189-201. 

 Roberts, R. M. (1989). Serendipity: Accidental discoveries in science. 

 Schroeder, R. G., Van de Ven, A. H., Scudder, G. D., & Polley, D. (1989). The development of 

           innovative ideas. Research on the management of innovation: The Minnesota studies, 107-134.