How Diversity Aids Innovation

“Behind every successful entrepreneur is a vast network.” And the more diverse the network, the better, says a study of the social networks of successful entrepreneurs. Jonah Lehrer at Wired Science summarizes a study of entrepreneurs’ social contacts: “Business people with entropic networks were three times more innovative than people with predictable networks. Because they interacted with lots of different folks, they were exposed to a much wider range of ideas and ‘non-redundant information’. Instead of getting stuck in the rut of conformity—thinking the same tired thoughts as everyone else—they were able to invent startling new concepts.”