Publications
Publications
- March 2012
- Strategic Management Journal
The Influence of Prior Industry Affiliation on Framing in Nascent Industries: The Evolution of Digital Cameras
By: Mary J. Benner and Mary Tripsas
Abstract
New industries sparked by technological change are characterized by high technological, market, and competitive uncertainty. In this paper we explore how a firm's conceptualization of products in this context, reflected in its introduction of product features, is influenced by prior industry affiliation. We hypothesize first, that prior industry experience shapes a set of shared beliefs resulting in similar and concurrent firm behavior; second, that firms will notice and imitate the behaviors of firms from the same prior industry; and third, that as firms gain experience with particular features, the influence of prior industry will decrease. Our hypotheses are supported by findings from a quantitative, large sample study of digital cameras introduced from 1991 to 2006 by firms from three prior industries: photography, consumer electronics, and computers. By 2004, several features had emerged as a dominant design; however, the timing and rate of adoption varied by prior industry. This study extends previous research on firm entry into new domains by examining heterogeneity in firms' feature-level entry choices. In addition, we contribute to work on dominant designs, going beyond characterizing a dominant design as a set of technological choices to understanding cognitive convergence on a standard set of demand-side product features.
Keywords
Technology; Transformation; Risk and Uncertainty; Competitive Strategy; Product; Values and Beliefs; Mathematical Methods; Power and Influence; Behavior; Experience and Expertise; Design; Market Entry and Exit; Employment Industry; Computer Industry
Citation
Benner, Mary J., and Mary Tripsas. "The Influence of Prior Industry Affiliation on Framing in Nascent Industries: The Evolution of Digital Cameras." Strategic Management Journal 33, no. 3 (March 2012): 277–302.