Repurposing: A Collaborative Innovation Strategy for the Digital Age

The book chapter explores repurposing as an innovation strategy for product development in various industries. While the general mindset around innovation is about creating something new, less emphasis has been placed on managing innovation and new product development based on new applications of existing solutions. Repurposing is the practice of transferring a known solution to a new context and represents an untapped opportunity for companies to innovate at low cost. The chapter discusses the building blocks, sources, and applications of repurposing, its strengths, weaknesses, and links to open innovation. It also presents examples of successful repurposing in different industries and how companies can execute repurposing successfully. The chapter argues that repurposing offers an alternative route to innovation and should be considered as a viable innovation strategy.