The Hidden Paths of Category Research: Climbing new heights and slippery slopes

Abstract

<jats:p> Category research has flourished over the last decade. While this body of work has prioritized the behavioral and economic consequences of stable classification systems, the papers in this special issue challenge this orientation by highlighting the importance of category dynamics for improving our understanding of markets and fields. We show how these papers support the emergence of category maintenance, the recategorization of mature categories, and the consolidation of new categories as understudied phenomena and as the next research challenges to pursue. After connecting the main findings of the papers in this special issue into a unified process model, we discuss various alternative pathways to further explore those challenges. We also point to how this theoretical endeavor runs on slippery slopes and might lead to cul-de-sacs such as terminological balkanization. We conclude by highlighting the need for developing a more comprehensive understanding of category dynamics. </jats:p>

Identity Reinforcement or Risky Organizational Change? Category Spanning in Humanitarian Projects

“…This industry is ideal for tackling aspects of category spanning as it includes organizations offering many different products and services from distinct market categories. These categories have been stable for over 40 years, and therefore, we can observe these organizations without dynamic changes due to category consolidation or recategorization (Delmestri et al 2020). We will be looking at a sample of 34,848 yearly humanitarian projects from 2480 organizations in 77 countries that have been submitted for funding approval.…”

Constructions, Claims, Resonance, Reflexivity: Language and Market Categorization

“…Although a multimodal perspective has a long tradition in semiotics, anthropology, sociology and cultural studies, it has not yet been used to a great extent in research on market categories. This is curious because market categories combine both material and abstract elements that are represented and enacted in various ways (Delmestri et al, 2020; Höllerer et al, 2018). Visuals show the materiality of the category and may thus communicate the category attributes more effectively than written text in a limited space.…”

“…A burgeoning literature addresses the role of categories in markets and industries (Delmestri, Wezel, Goodrick, & Washington, 2020;Pontikes, vast amount of information that they receive through their senses (Fiske & Taylor, 2013;Mervis & Rosch, 1981). Drawing on the tenets of psychological research on cognitive categories, a majority of studies on market categories have started from the idea of a categorical imperative.…”

“…A burgeoning literature addresses the role of categories in markets and industries (Delmestri, Wezel, Goodrick, & Washington, 2020; Pontikes, 2012; Rao, Monin, & Durand, 2005; Ruef & Patterson, 2009; Zuckerman, 1999). In psychology, categories are considered to involve individuals’ cognitive assessment of the apparent similarity of objects, making it easier to order the vast amount of information that they receive through their senses (Fiske & Taylor, 2013; Mervis & Rosch, 1981).…”

A New Take on the Categorical Imperative: Gatekeeping, Boundary Maintenance, and Evaluation Penalties in Science

“…Prior work on boundary maintenance, or the defending of boundaries (Langley et al 2019), has pointed to the rhetorical and discursive tactics that incumbents use to stabilize the boundaries of the social entity (Burri 2008, Garud et al 2014, Delmestri et al 2020, often in situations of change or exogenous threats. Our work investigates a more material tactic: the policing of membership (Lawrence and Suddaby 2006, Grodal 2018, Coslor et al 2020, meant as the physical admittance of members as a means of ongoing boundary maintenance.…”