Innovating More Each Day and Every Day: A Confucian Learning Approach to Innovation in the Case of Astronomical Innovations in Fifteenth-Century Korea

Although the question of whether Confucianism impedes or facilitates innovation has long been debated, the mechanisms through which Confucian values influence innovation have been less frequently examined. Given that many East Asian firms today still operate under the influence of Confucian values, understanding these mechanisms can help them foster innovation more effectively. In this paper, we investigate the astronomical innovations made in fifteenth-century Korea under King Sejong, to understand how Confucian values promoted by the Zhongyong can foster organizational learning and innovation. King Sejong and his team of officials devoted substantial efforts and resources to the invention of astronomical instruments and calendrical systems, achieving remarkable developments that often surpassed Chinese antecedents. These innovations were achieved in the midst of dynamic alternations between exploitation and exploration, which were propelled by adherence to the doctrine of Zhongyong—practice, sincerity, and perseverance. In this doctrine, practice motivates learning; sincerity furthers learning; perseverance sustains learning; and together they enable substantive learning that overcomes learning myopia and transcends the boundary between exploitation and exploration. Without sincere and persistent effort to practice what is learned, selfish and myopic desires lead the actors into success or failure traps, preventing them from achieving balance and harmony between exploitation and exploration. Our findings identify the managerial implications from these Confucian values which can help firms overcome conservatism and pursue true innovation each and every day.