Research Summary Firms often celebrate accidental inventions that lead to major breakthroughs, yet little is known about how the value of serendipitous inventions materializes. Using data from 8530 ...

This symposium series focuses on the role of chance and serendipity in the organizational context. Leading scholars discuss how and why serendipity matters in strategy, entrepreneurship, and innovatio...

This symposium series focuses on the role of chance and serendipity in the organizational context. Leading scholars discuss how and why serendipity matters in strategy, entrepreneurship, and innovatio...

Not all bad luck is random. The concept of zemblanity shows how hidden patterns in our habits, decisions, and systems can quietly shape the setbacks we later call “chance.”

When the 2025 Los Angeles wildfires destroyed his home and neighborhood, scientist Christian Busch encountered the opposite of serendipity: "zemblanity," or bad luck by design. Drawing on more than a ...

When the 2025 Los Angeles wildfires destroyed his home and neighborhood, scientist Christian Busch encountered the opposite of serendipity: "zemblanity," or bad luck by design. Drawing on more than a decade of scientific research, he explores how people can navigate unpredictability by adopting a serendipity mindset that transforms setbacks into unexpected new beginnings. He asks: What if good luck isn't random but can actually be cultivated? (Recorded at TED@BCG on ctober 23, 2025) Join us in person at a TED conference: https://tedtalks.social/events Become a TED Member to support our mission: https://ted.com/membership Subscribe to a TED newsletter: https://ted.com/newsletters Follow TED! X: https://www.twitter.com/TEDTalks Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ted Facebook: https://facebook.com/TED LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ted-conferences TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tedtoks The TED Talks channel features talks, performances and original series from the world's leading thinkers and doers. Subscribe to our channel for videos on Technology, Entertainment and Design — plus science, business, global issues, the arts and more. Visit https://TED.com to get our entire library of TED Talks, transcripts, translations, personalized talk recommendations and more. Watch more: https://go.ted.com/christianbusch https://youtu.be/DWZzQI24Qhs TED's videos may be used for non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons License, Attribution–Non Commercial–No Derivatives (or the CC BY – NC – ND 4.0 International) and in accordance with our TED Talks Usage Policy: https://www.ted.com/about/our-organization/our-policies-terms/ted-talks-usage-policy. For more information on using TED for commercial purposes (e.g. employee learning, in a film or online course), please submit a Media Request at https://media-requests.ted.com #TED #TEDTalks #PersonalGrowth

Human agency embeds fragility into systems, creating misfortune by design. Resilience depends on dismantling the patterns that make bad luck inevitable.

Human agency embeds fragility into systems, creating misfortune by design. Resilience depends on dismantling the patterns that make bad luck inevitable.

Serendipity – the notion of making surprising and valuable discoveries – plays a major role in the success of individuals and organizations alike. Previous research has established the importance of ...