From Rejection to Revival: How Creators Re-Propose Ideas to New Audiences

Idea rejection is a common yet often overlooked part of the creative process. While previous research emphasizes the benefits of revising ideas after rejection, we propose an alternative strategy: strategic idea revival. We argue that creators may choose to resubmit their original, rejected ideas instead of revising them, particularly when the evaluating audience changes. Using data from the Novo Nordisk Foundation's proposal review process, we show that applicants are more likely to resubmit rejected ideas when a higher proportion of evaluators have exited the committee. Furthermore, resubmitted proposals are less likely to be revised when the evaluating committee has changed, with applicants opting for "boomerang" proposals that closely resemble the rejected ideas. While resubmitting rejected ideas does not increase funding likelihoods, it avoids the costs of revision. Our findings highlight the role of audience composition for creators' resubmission strategies.