The structure of serendipity

Serendipity is routinely but mistakenly used as synonymous with chance events, luck or providence. It is thus not surprising that serendipity remains comparatively under-researched. After all, how is one to unlock the ‘black box’ of chance? Rather than being synonymous with chance, serendipity results from identifying ‘matching pairs’ of events that are put to practical or strategic use. With this etymologically accurate definition in mind, serendipity thus describes a capability, not an event. It follows that human agency, and not probability, is properly the focus of attention. Drawing on its sixteenth century etymological origins, I ‘unpack’ four serendipitous innovations in science to illustrate the nature of serendipity. In developing this argument, I propose a novel typology, and conclude by exploring implications of this typology for research and practice.