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Slack Time and Innovation

Author

Listed:
  • Ajay Agrawal
  • Christian Catalini
  • Avi Goldfarb
Abstract
The extant literature linking slack time to innovation focuses on how slack time facilitates creative activities such as ideation, experimentation, and prototype development. We turn attention to how slack time may enable activities that are less creative but still important for innovation, namely mundane, execution-oriented tasks. First, we document the main effect: a sharp rise in innovative projects posted on a major crowdfunding platform when colleges are on break. Next, we report timing and project type evidence consistent with the causal interpretation that slack time drives innovation. Finally, we present a series of results consistent with the mundane task mechanism but not with the traditional creativity-related explanations. We do not rule out the possibility that creativity benefits from slack time. Instead, we introduce the idea that mundane, execution-oriented tasks, such as those associated with launching a crowdfunding campaign (e.g., administration, planning, promotion), are an important input to innovation that may benefit significantly from slack time.

Suggested Citation

  • Ajay Agrawal & Christian Catalini & Avi Goldfarb, 2015. "Slack Time and Innovation," NBER Working Papers 21134, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:21134
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. Philip Wollborn & David Dornekott & Ulrike Holder, 2023. "Entrepreneurial efforts and opportunity costs: evidence from twitch streamers," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 19(3), pages 1209-1238, September.
    4. Yu, Sandy & Fleming, Lee, 2022. "Regional crowdfunding and high tech entrepreneurship," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(9).
    5. Chen, Tao & Park, Hyeyoun & Rajwani, Tazeeb, 2024. "Diverse human resource slack and firm innovation: Evidence from politically connected firms," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(2).
    6. Wang, Yinghuan & Wang, Baolin & Yan, Yan, 2022. "Does network externality affect your project? Evidences from reward-based technology crowdfunding," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 180(C).
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    9. Mulhuijzen, Max & de Jong, Jeroen P.J., 2023. "The rich or the poor? Personal resources, do-it-yourself, and innovation in the household sector," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(3).
    10. Desmond (Ho-Fu) Lo & Francisco Brahm & Wouter Dessein & Chieko Minami, 2022. "Managing with Style? Microevidence on the Allocation of Managerial Attention," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 68(11), pages 8261-8285, November.
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • L26 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Entrepreneurship
    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives

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