The Emergence of Resourcing Practices in Epistemic Communities: The Case of Drug Repurposing

Abstract

Valuable resources are key drivers of firm performance. Yet, little is known about the process whereby resources obtain value. By looking at a specific setting in drug discovery in the pharmaceutical industry known as drug repurposing, we analyze antecedents of the systematic process whereby resources obtain value. Our findings show that emergence of an alternative problem solving logic and changing practices interact with systematic efforts of resourcing, and technology had a significant impact on increase in resourcing practices. In the process of emergence of alternative logics and changing practices, serendipity had a dual role as a historical case study and a narrative in the emergence of a new paradigm in drug discovery known as drug repurposing.