When general recommendations fail: how to search in single innovation project settings

External sources are main elements of a firm's search strategy as they positively influence a firm's innovation activities. While previous research has almost exclusively focused on search patterns on firm level, we focus on search mechanisms in single innovation project settings. Based on an inductive case study of eight cross‐industry innovation projects, we present a theoretical framework of three archetypes. In our research, we transfer the concept of breadth and depth from firm to project level and present decisive criteria. We provide evidence that search on project level is not only influenced by breadth and depth, but the character of search represented by its level of abstraction plays a major role. Furthermore, we show that at least in our context and contrary to firm level, not always high levels of breadth and depth are required. In addition, our research contributes to an enhanced operation of search in firms applying our archetypes.