TY - JOUR
T1 - Infighting and fitting in
T2 - Following innovation in the stent actor-network
AU - Lawlor, Jim
AU - Kavanagh, Donncha
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2014 Elsevier Inc.
PY - 2015/1/1
Y1 - 2015/1/1
N2 - This paper examines the technological and market innovation processes associated with emerging markets. Through a longitudinal study of the stent actor-network, four contests that punctuated the stent market's emergence are identified. Corporeal battles occurred as stents were fitted into the human body, and as the market emerged and stabilised through a process of creative construction. Subsequently, corporate wars developed between emergent corporate actors, and, in parallel, an incorporation campaign occurred in which emergent corporate actors sought to fit in to the established actor-network. Finally, civilized confrontation, or the 'normal' activities expected in a stabilised market, emerged. We conclude that, prior to Schumpeter's creative destruction impacting on the established market, there is a period of creative construction. We introduce the term 'mutable marketing' to describe the dominant market innovation processes evident during this period. This research shows that emergent actors are likely to be destroyed through mutually antagonistic infighting. •Creative destruction is preceded by a period of creative construction as a nascent market emerges.•Mutable marketing describes the dominant market innovation processes evident prior to the point of disruption.•Emergent corporate actors are likely to be destroyed through mutually antagonistic corporate wars.•Actors in emergent networks engage with established markets through subtle and emollient incorporation campaigns.•Civilized confrontation follows as the market object, and the market, stabilise.
AB - This paper examines the technological and market innovation processes associated with emerging markets. Through a longitudinal study of the stent actor-network, four contests that punctuated the stent market's emergence are identified. Corporeal battles occurred as stents were fitted into the human body, and as the market emerged and stabilised through a process of creative construction. Subsequently, corporate wars developed between emergent corporate actors, and, in parallel, an incorporation campaign occurred in which emergent corporate actors sought to fit in to the established actor-network. Finally, civilized confrontation, or the 'normal' activities expected in a stabilised market, emerged. We conclude that, prior to Schumpeter's creative destruction impacting on the established market, there is a period of creative construction. We introduce the term 'mutable marketing' to describe the dominant market innovation processes evident during this period. This research shows that emergent actors are likely to be destroyed through mutually antagonistic infighting. •Creative destruction is preceded by a period of creative construction as a nascent market emerges.•Mutable marketing describes the dominant market innovation processes evident prior to the point of disruption.•Emergent corporate actors are likely to be destroyed through mutually antagonistic corporate wars.•Actors in emergent networks engage with established markets through subtle and emollient incorporation campaigns.•Civilized confrontation follows as the market object, and the market, stabilise.
KW - Actor-network theory
KW - Creative destruction
KW - Innovation
KW - Longitudinal case study
KW - Marketization
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84920964370&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.indmarman.2014.10.005
DO - 10.1016/j.indmarman.2014.10.005
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84920964370
SN - 0019-8501
VL - 44
SP - 32
EP - 41
JO - Industrial Marketing Management
JF - Industrial Marketing Management
ER -