It begins by describing Hewlett Packard s breakthrough invention of the thermal ink jet from 1979 to 1985. It continues by offering hypotheses about which organizations are more likely to be sources of technological breakthroughs. The arguments focus purely on technological invention and not commercial innovation. Building upon a theory of invention as a process of recombinant search, the paper argues for the importance of technological diversity in breakthrough invention. Technological diversity is a required but not sufficient for breakthrough, however.
Breakthroughs are more likely when diversity interacts with various supporting mechanisms.