Abstract: This paper critically reviews the classical innovation paradigm focusing on social needs, proposes the Meaningful innovation (MI) paradigm, emphasizes that enterprises should actively pay attention to the meaning of innovation, take it as the prerequisite variable of the innovation process, and establishes the theoretical framework of innovation meaning management and innovation elements combination. The paper traces back the origin of theory, delimits the boundary of theory, constructs the theoretical foundation, discriminates and analyzes the related concepts, and expounds the connotative structure. This paper reviews the emergence, development and iteration of the mainstream innovation theory paradigm in the field of management innovation in China since the reform and opening up, and provides enlightenment for the establishment and future development of meaningful innovation.