Research Seminar
[Brown Bag] The Social Recognition of Innovators: Uncovering the Heads Behind the Guillotine by Prof. Paolo Aversa, King’s Business School, King’s College London
| Abstract: | Abstract: Popular narratives often oversimplify the origins of major innovations, attributing them to a few "heroic" figures. While scholarly literature challenges this myth, it often emphasizes the role of innovators themselves, overlooking how audiences actively shape recognition. This oversight leaves an incomplete understanding of the process by which innovators are socially recognized – a critical gap given the profound implications for those attributed with innovation. To advance our understanding of this social recognition process, we investigate events and narratives of the French Revolution (circa 1788–1792) through a microhistorical analysis of the guillotine – a beheading machine widely attributed to and named after Dr Joseph-Ignace Guillotin, a politician and humanist. We link this device to the historical debate on capital punishment and the reform of penal law in revolutionary France, which introduced a societal shift by controversially pioneering the concept of equality in jurisprudence. We theorize a spiraling process in which audiences, influenced by cognitive biases, contextual conditions, and polarized narratives, progressively channel recognition toward specific individuals while marginalizing other potential candidates. By reframing recognition as an audience-driven process, this study sheds light on how innovations and their significance are socially constructed, advancing research on the origins, acceptance, and attribution of innovation. |
| Date: | Apr 7 (Mon), 2025 10:30 am - 12:00 noon |
| Time: | 10:30AM - 12:00PM |
| Venue: | 14-221, Level 14, Lau Ming Wai Academic Building (LAU) |
| Details: | Speaker bio: Prof. Paolo Aversa is Professor of Strategy at King’s College London. He holds visiting and honorary positions in various institutions, among which The Jonas Persson Visiting Professor at Stockholm School of Economics - Center for Sports and Business. His research interests relate to innovation and the evolution of industries and ecosystems. He usually focuses on technology-driven settings to explore phenomena such as radical innovations, digital transformation, and business models, which he investigates with both qualitative and quantitative methods. He is particularly interested in historical approaches. His explanations often unpack intangible microfoundations, such as cognition, emotions, and socially constructed processes. He is interested in unusual empirical setting. He is considered one of the leading academic experts in the Formula 1 and motorsport industry, and one of the major experts in the use of sports data to advance management theory. He serves as Associate Editor at Journal of Management Studies, and guest editor at Academy of Management Discoveries. He is in the editorial review board at Organization Science and Academy of Management Discoveries. His works have been published in Academy of Management Journal, Academy of Management Annals, Organization Science, Journal of Management, Journal of Management Studies, and Research Policy - among others. He serves as officer and Communications Director for STR – Strategic Management Division; and Representative at Large of TIM – Technology and Innovation Management Division - Academy of Management. He holds a PhD in management from the University of Bologna, and he worked as Post-Doc at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, and Marie-Curie Fellow at Bayes Business School. He received several international recognition and awards, including a Knighthood – Order of the Star of Italy – for his research, professional and impact achievements. He serves as strategic advisor for several co |
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