Where Do New Markets Come From?

Workshop
December 10-11, 2010 at the MPIfG, Cologne

Topic and Goal of the Conference

“Where Do Markets Come From?” is the title of Harrison C. White’s seminal AJS article in 1981 which showed how markets reproduce. The article remained vague in explaining how markets emerge. Even today little consideration has been given to this question. The Workshop takes up this challenge and asks: "Where Do New Markets Come From?"
The speakers at this workshop will draw on empirical evidence from their own research and they also develop conceptual contributions to the study of new markets. We ask them to present core points that organize and synthesize their prior and ongoing work. They shall address overarching questions about the emergence and creation of new markets from their own scholarly perspective and experience. To facilitate discussion and the commentators’ preparation, each of the main presenters will summarize their argument and key propositions in a short paper of about 2000 words (Thesenpapier). We encourage all participants to consider some or all of the following questions in their workshop preparation and presentation.

Which definitions of “market(s)” do we – as scholars working in this area – use and what are the analytical implications when studying a new market or market-in-the-making?
How do we use and understand the label “new” in relation to markets and what enables us to recognize the “newness” of a market empirically?
What is the role and status of actors in processes of new market emergence/creation? Are markets made? Are markets more than the sum of individual exchanges?
Which phase, lifecycle or naturalistic models do we apply explicitly or implicitly when studying the history or current status of a new market?
Which antecedents and conditions of new markets have we been able to identify? Can they form a typology? Do we need a typology of markets, according to how they (got) formed?
How do we treat conflicts, tensions, struggles in processes of market emergence/creation?
What insights might be gained from theories of identity and research on innovation that could inform the study of new market development?
When we observe new markets, what happens to the old ones? Where do old markets go?

Obviously, the above list is not complete and we welcome additional issues to be raised by participants in their presentations and comments. The thematic focus is on specific markets and their emergence/creation. This means that questions around the historical or contemporary evolution and transformation of market economies and market societies at large or the study of (emulated) market mechanisms used in non-market settings (e.g., within organizations, in welfare provision) and general trends of marketization are treated as background considerations that are relevant if and when they are required to explain a particular new market. For example, changes in property right regimes affect general market institutions, but how do they also enable specific new markets?

The Workshop promotes the development of theoretical insights in the establishment of new markets by discussing conceptual and empirical work and stimulating systematic reflection on core issues in this area. We invited leading scholars on this topic from different backgrounds. This Workshop will generate ideas for research projects and publications that participants may pursue individually or in cooperation.

Organization and contact

Sebastian Kohl

Phone +49 221 2767-218