Abstract
Guided by Discovery Theory and the framework of human, social and psychological capital, this study investigated how school principals recognize and evaluate innovative opportunities. Using a case study approach, data were collected through multi-phase interviews with eight principals who had implemented notable innovations in Hong Kong. The findings reveal two distinct recognition patterns, socially and psychologically driven, showing that psychological capital plays a dominant role in recognizing and evaluating opportunities. Our findings reveal that human capital (e.g., prior experience) was not central to opportunity recognition but instead was used to assess technical feasibility. Social capital supported serendipitous discovery, while psychological capital guided intentional searching and final decision-making. The study offers a novel, capital-integrated perspective on the discovery process by school principals and highlights the deeply personal and belief-driven nature of decisions regarding innovation in schools.
Context and implications
Rationale for this study: Little is known about how school principals actually recognize and evaluate innovative opportunities within complex educational contexts. Guided by the Discovery Theory, this study examines how human, social and psychological capital shape that process.
Why the new findings matter: The study reveals that innovation decisions are driven less by experience and more by principals’ moral conviction and school vision, reframing psychological capital as a value-anchored resource for educational leadership.
Implications for practitioners, policy-makers and researchers: For practitioners, the findings highlight how personal beliefs and vision guide principals’ judgements, suggesting reflective training to balance conviction with evidence-based decision-making. For policy-makers, the results emphasize the importance of leadership development that integrates psychological and relational capacities alongside technical expertise. For researchers, the work extends Discovery Theory by evidencing the hierarchical and belief-driven interplay of capitals, opening new directions for examining value-based educational entrepreneurship.