Abstract
Elena Raviola and Paola Dubini (2008). Never Say Never: Incumbents and
Newcomers in the Presence of an Architectural Innovation, Journal of Media
Business Studies 5(1):95-121.
Key Words: music industry, recording industry, digitalization, architectural innovation,
incumbents, newcomers, Italy
This article aims at understanding how the relationship between incumbents and
newcomers evolves in the presence of an architectural innovation. Building on the
literature on architectural innovation, it focuses on local entrepreneurial activities related to
the development of new complementary assets and on the redefinition of the incumbents'
and newcomers' roles in the new product systems. It draws on an exploratory study
conducted on the digital music industry and takes Italy as the geographic setting for local
entrepreneurial activities. Based on the analysis of the empirical material, it presents four
propositions shedding light on the complexity of the relationship between incumbents and
newcomers, especially under architectural innovation.
Elena Raviola and Paola Dubini (2008). Never Say Never: Incumbents and
Newcomers in the Presence of an Architectural Innovation, Journal of Media
Business Studies 5(1):95-121.
Key Words: music industry, recording industry, digitalization, architectural innovation,
incumbents, newcomers, Italy
This article aims at understanding how the relationship between incumbents and
newcomers evolves in the presence of an architectural innovation. Building on the
literature on architectural innovation, it focuses on local entrepreneurial activities related to
the development of new complementary assets and on the redefinition of the incumbents'
and newcomers' roles in the new product systems. It draws on an exploratory study
conducted on the digital music industry and takes Italy as the geographic setting for local
entrepreneurial activities. Based on the analysis of the empirical material, it presents four
propositions shedding light on the complexity of the relationship between incumbents and
newcomers, especially under architectural innovation.
