Schilling (2017) – Serial breakthrough innovation: the roles of separateness,
self-efficacy, and idealism
Research purpose
Understand which individual characteristics can increase the likelihood of creating break through
innovation (and how these interact)
Method
Integrating research on entrepreneurship and psychology with the stories of breakthrough
innovators
3 characteristics are described in detail that the paper argues to increase the likelihood of creating
breakthrough innovation:
1. A sense of separateness
2. Extreme self-efficacy
3. Idealism
A sense of separateness
Lack of direct personal relationships OR the perception to be detached from others
Not the same as introversion – rather, a perception of oneself being different
How it helps for innovation:
People feeling separate do not feel the need to adhere to social norms
They are less exposed to conventional wisdom and mainstream ideas
More prone to resisting conventional wisdom even if they are exposed to it
Separated people learn to relish and make productive use of their time alone (although not
the whole innovation creation process can be done by one single person!)
Antecendents:
Physical reasons like a disorder or disability
Social reasons e.g. bullying in childhood
Self-reinforcing effect: those who feel separate might reduce their social contacts due to fear
of rejection
Characteristics of separation
Time spent alone (both a cause or consequence)
o helps to develop their own beliefs about how the world works
o thinking is not interrupted by others
Non-conformity and rebelliousness
o Perception that one does not need to follow the rules and can govern others
Interaction effect: time alone, rule challenging and heterodox thinking are all connected to
another
self-efficacy, and idealism
Research purpose
Understand which individual characteristics can increase the likelihood of creating break through
innovation (and how these interact)
Method
Integrating research on entrepreneurship and psychology with the stories of breakthrough
innovators
3 characteristics are described in detail that the paper argues to increase the likelihood of creating
breakthrough innovation:
1. A sense of separateness
2. Extreme self-efficacy
3. Idealism
A sense of separateness
Lack of direct personal relationships OR the perception to be detached from others
Not the same as introversion – rather, a perception of oneself being different
How it helps for innovation:
People feeling separate do not feel the need to adhere to social norms
They are less exposed to conventional wisdom and mainstream ideas
More prone to resisting conventional wisdom even if they are exposed to it
Separated people learn to relish and make productive use of their time alone (although not
the whole innovation creation process can be done by one single person!)
Antecendents:
Physical reasons like a disorder or disability
Social reasons e.g. bullying in childhood
Self-reinforcing effect: those who feel separate might reduce their social contacts due to fear
of rejection
Characteristics of separation
Time spent alone (both a cause or consequence)
o helps to develop their own beliefs about how the world works
o thinking is not interrupted by others
Non-conformity and rebelliousness
o Perception that one does not need to follow the rules and can govern others
Interaction effect: time alone, rule challenging and heterodox thinking are all connected to
another
