Infighting and fitting in: Following innovation in the stent actor-network

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.