Paper info

Impacts of Networks on the Emergence of Dominant Design: Float Glass in Canada

Olavi Uusitalo

The paper was published at the 27th IMP-conference in Glasgow, Scotland in 2011.

ABSTRACT
The paper focuses on the emergent of dominant design in national market where the radical
technological change dramatically replaced the resources in the network. Especially, the focus is
on the group of stakeholders affecting the domestic content of product manufacturer by foreign
multinational companies. We contribute to the literature of technology management which does
not see the context of simple nonassembled products and their manufacturing technology. Here
we interpret the social, political and organisational influence with the help of the network (IMP)
literature.
We apply the case study method that is considered as the most suitable method for the business
network. Our case study may be described as longitudinal, historical and contextual. The data has
been originally collected for a dissertation (Uusitalo, 1995) and further publications (e.g.
Uusitalo, 1997).
We found several connected technological, economical and political events that triggered the
changes within the industry and had significant impacts on the Canadian flat glass industry. Based
on the consequences reported in this study, we suggest that in complex business networks actors
need to see things from several perspectives.
Keywords: innovation, dominant design, networks, stakeholders