Exapt, Adapt, Disrupt: A Conceptual Framework for Systemic Innovation

How do breakthroughs emerge in unpredictable environments? This paper develops a unified framework for systemic innovation by integrating eight key concepts: exaptation, serendipity, emergence, co-optation, bricolage, affordances, recombinant innovation, and effectuation. By synthesizing insights from complexity science, sociology, and entrepreneurship, we reveal how creativity flourishes when innovators repurpose existing elements, harness uncertainty, and leverage unexpected affordances. Unlike conventional models that emphasize structured problem-solving, this framework captures the nonlinear, adaptive, and systemic nature of creativity in innovation ecosystems. We illustrate its applicability across diverse cases—from the exaptation of mRNA vaccines to the recombinant innovation of AI-driven drug discovery, the co-optation of gig work by tech giants, and the emergence of decentralized finance. Our findings suggest that transformative creativity is not a solitary act, but an emergent systems-level process shaped by adaptive recombination and strategic improvisation. By shifting the focus from predictive planning to creative adaptation, this study provides a novel roadmap for navigating uncertainty and fostering systemic change. It offers both scholars and practitioners an actionable lens to harness creativity, unlock latent affordances, and scale innovation in complex environments.