Complex field-positions and non-imitation: Pioneers, strangers, and insulars in australian fine-wine

Abstract

Abstract. This paper studies how complex field-positions, characterized by combinations of structural and cultural mechanisms, are associated with the non-imitation of dominant field-level practices. Theoretically, the notion of complex field-position complements prior institutional research on fieldpositions and non-imitation, which focuses primarily on structural mechanisms. Our empirical study looks at 62 Australian fine-wines, using qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) to identify combinations of structural and cultural mechanisms associated with the non-imitation of Penfolds Grange, a role model in the Australian fine-wine field. We find three distinct complex field-positions-pioneers, strangers, and insularswhich occurred at different moments in the history of this field. We build on these findings to discuss the importance of complex field-positions as sources of positional opportunities, and their role in the development and persistence of diversity in organizational fields.

Reward Crowdfunding: Who to Attract at the Beginning of the Campaign? An Analysis in Terms of Revealed Networks of Preferences

“…They are highly motivated by the success of the project and provide both moral and financial support (Ellis, 2011;Dominguez et al, 2017). If they hold a central position in the area in question, their visibility, status and resources (Croidieu & Rüling, 2017) make their commitment inspirational for a class of users who are less invested but greater in number. It is these users who establish the bridge between the pioneers and the mass of other potential backers (Vasudeva et al, 2018).…”

“…This enables us to characterise the relationship between the preferences of early backers and those of other users on the platform, and to measure the effects of that characterisation on the campaign's success. Early backers play a role as pioneers (Croidieu & Rüling, 2017), thus paving the way for others with the trust they show in the project. We use a classification based on 'strong ties' and 'weak ties' proposed by Granovetter (1973Granovetter ( , 1983 to portray the relationships between their preferences.…”