What’s a knowledge spillover?

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Knowledge spillover is a phenomenon that occurs when information and knowledge collected and shared for a particular activity or project eventually generates additional opportunities for application in other contexts. From there, the spillover acts as a catalyst for the development of new ideas and new applications, often in ways not initially anticipated. Considered a basic aspect in the knowledge management economics, knowledge spillover can occur in any number of settings, helping to produce results that can be very attractive.

At its core, knowledge spillover is all about sharing ideas and methods of implementation which then inspire those who are not in direct competition to adapt those ideas for use in different contexts. While the term itself is relatively new and usually focuses on technological innovations such as pushing new ideas for software and exciting new ways to use the internet. The general idea has been around for centuries. In any scenario where an idea is developed for use in a specific setting and others are inspired to take that same idea and transplant it into another setting, knowledge spillover has occurred.

In practice, knowledge spillover can be a process that occurs within a controlled environment and leads to the development of new products that have some sort of connection to the original idea. For example, a company may develop an entirely new process for making ketchup which in turn inspires someone in the operation to adapt the process so the company can start its own line of mustard or other condiments. Similarly, a software company may sell a popular software product that is ideal for business accounting, and someone within the company may be inspired to use the same basic platform to develop a sales database that can interface with accounting software, a combination that many companies would find attractive.

Knowledge spillover can also occur in a broader context. In this case, innovations developed by one entity may in turn inspire someone else to develop a product that can be used in conjunction with those innovations. This occurred with the development of social networks on the Internet, with the idea of ​​a social network itself inspired by the earlier innovations of email lists, online chat rooms and bulletin boards. As individuals and businesses began to see other ways to use those older applications, the creation of a more comprehensive network that offered the benefits of all three, and some new advantages showed up, all thanks to certain knowledge that served as food for thought that ultimately led to the creation of something new.

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