Nonlinear Effects of Superstar Collaboration: Why the Beatles Succeeded but Broke Up

Abstract

This paper examines the knowledge creation process that takes place in a group of superstar innovators. How does a superstar innovator influence the generation of knowledge in a team? In particular, does the effect increase nonlinearly as the number of talented team members increases? We explore these questions by considering the success and subsequent breakup of the Beatles, one of the most popular music groups in history. Through a mathematical analysis for exploring the fundamental mechanism of the breakup and its implications for superstar collaborations, we show that the breakup was an inevitable consequence of the superstar collaboration.