Topic: Technology
A new research study shows that entrepreneurs can use fictional storytelling to make big ideas seem possible. This strategy is called 'fictional framing' and it's being used by companies like Blue Origin.
Imagine a colony in space, between Earth and the moon. It sounds like science fiction, but it was presented as a real idea by Jeff Bezos, founder of Blue Origin, in 2019. But how do entrepreneurs get people to support such radical ideas? According to new research by Luis Martins from the University of Texas at Austin, they need to use fictional framing.
Fictional framing is a way of telling a story that makes something seem possible. It's not just about making an idea sound good, but also about getting people to think about what could be. This strategy is different from traditional business pitches, which try to make an idea fit with what we already know. Instead, fictional framing asks us to imagine a new world and how it would work.
The research team used literary theory and psychology of fiction to build a model of how to use fictional framing. They found that this strategy can help people think about possibilities, rather than just probabilities. It's not about asking how likely something is to happen, but about what would happen if it did. This makes people more willing to collaborate and make the idea a reality.
Fictional framing is not limited to big tech companies like Blue Origin. It can be used for any major idea that doesn't fit with existing ways of thinking. For example, eliminating poverty in a city could be made possible through fictional framing.
Why It Matters
This strategy can help entrepreneurs and innovators make big ideas seem possible, which is especially important in India where there are many challenges to overcome. By using fictional framing, people can imagine new possibilities and work together to make them a reality.
Key Facts
- Luis Martins from the University of Texas at Austin developed the concept of 'fictional framing' as a way for entrepreneurs to sell big ideas.
- Fictional framing is a storytelling strategy that makes something seem possible by imagining a new world and how it would work.
- The research team used literary theory and psychology of fiction to build a model of fictional framing.
- Fictional framing can help people think about possibilities, rather than just probabilities.
- This strategy can be used for any major idea that doesn't fit with existing ways of thinking.
Key Terms
- Fictional framing
- A storytelling strategy that makes something seem possible by imagining a new world and how it would work.
- Entrepreneurship
- The process of starting and running a business or project.
Implications
This strategy can help entrepreneurs and innovators make big ideas seem possible, which is especially important in India where there are many challenges to overcome. By using fictional framing, people can imagine new possibilities and work together to make them a reality.
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