Driving Innovation and Transformation: An Exaptive Approach to Healthcare Systems

The idea of repurposing existing structures, functions, and technologies instead of gradually adapting them unlocks an entirely new potential of organisations and collaborations without the constraints of original design trial and error. This approach is called exaptive innovation and involves repurposing capabilities and resources across different contexts. As a molecular biology undergraduate, I always found the self-organising potential and behaviours of cells and organisms quite fascinating. The way cells are able to use what they already have available to them to create novel functions to better suit their purposes is pretty smart. This characteristic of self-organisation and evolution occurs in complex organisations too-more often than we realise!

It then comes as no surprise that the term "exaptation" was a term originally applied to biological contexts and is now applied to modern innovation approaches. Here are a just a few examples: antifreeze proteins in fish evolved from digestive enzymes to allow fish in polar waters to survive freezing temperatures. Also, the original printing press machine was composed of parts that were re-purposed from a wine press, and a microwave oven was accidentally discovered by a chocolate melting in a pocket of a man standing close to a device generating microwaves. However, exaptive innovation is still an emerging field in areas of management research.

Image: A wine press (left) and original Gutenberg printing press. Photo source Wikimedia Commons

Tailoring innovation for complex systems

Exaptive innovation happens when an existing capability or technology is unexpectedly and radically repurposed to solve a problem. This contrasts with most traditional approaches to innovation that follow a guided strategy of purpose-driven adaptation and design. In contrast, this kind of spontaneous and radical innovation comes from unexpected discoveries when there is freedom to explore outside the conventional organisational boundaries of problem-solving and information-sharing.

It is clear why exaptive innovation is highly desired because it utilises what is already available making it more cost-effective and quicker to implement than traditional innovation frameworks. However, exaptive innovation requires a different approach and thrives in complex organisational systems and environments that promote broad and cross-sector collaboration and experimentation. However, complex organisations are also challenged by uncertainty, silos of communication, and a resistance to transformation. This is because the foundation of radical innovation lies in the spontaneous emergence of novel possibilities from the diverse intersection of existing resources, experiences, and ideas from a very vast network. Without an appropriate environment to facilitate idea emergence and capture these possibilities- opportunities are lost.

Here are a few examples of this type of radical repurposing that has been seen in the medical sector. Some medications have been radically repurposed from the original ailment or disease they were originally intended, like sildenafil (Viagra) that was originally intended to treat angina, thalidomide now used to treat leprosy, and dimethyl fumarate originally for skin conditions now manages Multiple Sclerosis. Other examples in the healthcare sector, include AI-driven diagnostics are improving early detection of diseases like cancer and diabetic retinopathy. Operational innovations include AI-powered chatbots repurposed from automated customer services in banking and e-commerce industries that have been repurposed and applied to manage patient flows and supplement routine clinical work during crisis periods such as COVID-19. There are numerous examples of radical repurposing that has also been applied in the technology and business sectors. Exaptive innovation bridges industries and considers the multi-sector entanglement of most challenges this makes it a natural approach where innovative ideas for repurposing and recombinant transformation emerges from cross-industry discoveries.

Innovation through repurposing

Image: Recombinant and radical innovation in complex and adaptive organisations

This type of radical innovation thrives in complex and adaptive organisational systems. This is because there are many individuals interconnected across multiple industries with rich backgrounds, knowledge, and experiences that can contribute towards repurposing organisational resources, structures, and functions. Here is a short list to kick start a radical innovation journey:

·       Naturally, there is a collaborative component to this type of innovation, requiring a war room or think tank-type culture conducive to uninhibited information sharing and experimentation. Online platforms for cross-sector collaborations and data sharing are also key.

·       Pick the people, teams, industries. Identify who can contribute diverse knowledge and skillsets, bridge multiple industries, and what research and data are valuable. Also, develop skills in those who have the potential and are keen to contribute. Alternately make it an organisation-wide innovation challenge.

·       Where appropriate utilise AI and network analyses to further detect and support latent findings, emerging data, trends, and relationships between connected industries.

·       Leaders must welcome discussions and risky ideas as well as embrace the discomfort of dissecting the learnings from previous failures.

·       Leaders are key in creating environments of curiosity that promote the emergence of uninhibited ideas. Leaders create spaces for experimentation that allow novel repurposing to evolve.

Key takeaways on exaptive innovation in healthcare systems

Many business and technology innovations have found new life in healthcare systems and operational efficacy. Even seemingly unlikely cross-industry collaborations such as F1 teams working with hospitals can bring significant operational improvements. The healthcare sector still faces immense and sustained challenges requiring novel responses that are mindful of their financial and talent restraints. Complex organisations are increasingly turning to radical innovation as it is an agile and a more responsive approach suited to unpredictable and ambiguous environments while utilising what is already available.

References:

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