Science fiction, innovation and entrepreneurship

Innovation won’t happen without a good idea. The book not only looks at the unique role of fiction, science fiction and fantasy in enabling creative idea generation and future opportunity identification, but also it explores the wider application of fiction-based innovation approaches in developing future innovation ecosystems. Fiction and science fiction as the sources of inspiration is the hidden forces behind opportunity-centred entrepreneurship. However, transforming fiction into real product ideas is complex multi-level processes. Especially, the technical and conceptual gaps between reality and fictional imagination are difficult to anastomose. Understanding fiction enabled innovation processes and the role of imagination as both an input to and an output of these processes can help entrepreneurs fully utilise the hidden power of fiction – learn how to apply science fiction approaches into innovation processes, recognise new opportunities embedded in unforeseen fiction forces, and even enable entrepreneurs engage in active change agency to shape a desirable future. This book aims to provide a systematic explanation on what entrepreneurial potential can be unlocked whilst unravelling the myth and power of fiction, science fiction and fantasy. It will benefit practitioners, managers, computer scientists, engineers, business researchers and students.