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Learning from innovation failures: a systematic review of the literature and research agenda

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Abstract

Learning from innovation failures is a complex phenomenon that requires more in-depth analysis. Recent works have emphasized the importance of studying failures as an opportunity or a precursor to future success. These works suggest that entrepreneurs can fail and afterwards can learn from failures to “rise from the ashes” and succeed. This paper aims to present a systematic review and analyses of 53 conceptual and empirical research articles published between 1980 and 2017, on the topic of learning from innovation failures. This article advances knowledge on this topic by generating an integrative framework of learning from innovation failures that takes into account its three perspectives: as the main phenomenon under study, as an explanatory variable of another phenomenon, and as a mediating variable. Moreover, a research agenda based on research gaps identified in the literature has been proposed to suggest ways of moving forward for future research on this topic.

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Notes

  1. ABDC: Australian Business Deans Council Journal Rankings List.

  2. ABS: Association of Business Schools Academic Journal Quality Guide.

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  1. Department of Management, Faculty of Business, Laval University, 2325 rue de l’Université, Québec City, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada

    Khalil Rhaiem & Nabil Amara

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  1. Khalil Rhaiem
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Table 13 Conceptual and operational definitions of learning from innovation failures
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Rhaiem, K., Amara, N. Learning from innovation failures: a systematic review of the literature and research agenda. Rev Manag Sci 15, 189–234 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11846-019-00339-2

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