Paths, events and resource use: New developments in understanding innovation processes

The purpose of this paper is to investigate innovation paths, their events and resource use for a wave energy development within the renewable energy sector. An in-depth single case study mixed-method methodology was used to examine a detailed typology of events and develop innovation paths where one category of resources is predominant (technical and commercialization), or where the resources are evenly combined (ambidextrous). The case results highlight the early presence of a new innovation path type (ambidextrous), offer a better understanding of the different resources used along each path type, and show that co-occurrence of events (common events) across paths influences path convergence. As a practical implication, the paper underlines the benefits of ambidexterity and the multifaceted role of government within the business network, requiring the focal organization to re-consider its interactions with various government departments and other agencies.