Development and initial validation of the individual exploratory behaviors scale

This paper introduces the construct of individual exploratory behaviors (IEBs), conceptualized as the actions that individuals undertake to explore new ideas for innovation purposes. We propose IEBs as a construct that encompasses three behavioral components (questioning the status quo, observing the world for new ideas, and experimenting ideas) measured through a 12-item scale. This paper examines the validity and reliability of the construct in three studies involving students and workers belonging to different sectors. We examined the relationship among IEBs and demographic and personality characteristics and we tested its ability to predict radical innovation. The results support the reliability and validity of the IEBs measure. We discuss how this scale and its initial validation can contribute to generate promising research avenues for the innovation research, by addressing the individual level of analysis.