A Dynamic Model of Embeddedness in Digital Infrastructures

Daniel Fürstenau (), Abayomi Baiyere () and Natalia Kliewer ()
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Daniel Fürstenau: Department of Information Systems, School of Business and Economics, Freie Universit¨at Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany, Einstein Center Digital Future, 10117 Berlin, Germany
Abayomi Baiyere: Department of Digitalization, Copenhagen Business School, 2000 Frederiksberg, Denmark, University of Turku, 20500 Turku, Finland
Natalia Kliewer: Department of Information Systems, School of Business and Economics, Freie Universit¨at Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany

Information Systems Research, 2019, vol. 30, issue 4, 1319-1342

Abstract: Digital infrastructures are a result of individual yet interdependent systems evolving in relation to each other. In this paper, we identify three processes by which individual systems become embedded into digital infrastructures. First, there are parallel processes, in which systems become embedded independently of each other. Second, there are competitive processes, in which the embeddedness of one system increases at the expense of another. Finally, there are spanning processes, in which bridges are built between different embedded systems. The three processes, synthesized into a dynamic model of digital infrastructure embeddedness, offer much-needed conceptual clarity to the area of digital infrastructure evolution. They also provide insight into the emergence of three forms of digital infrastructures: silofied, regenerated, and unified. Reflecting an interconnection view, our research further facilitates an understanding of infrastructure inertia and its associated consequence.

Keywords: digital infrastructures; embeddedness; inertia; mixed methods; process models (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:inm:orisre:v:30:y:2019:i:4:p:1319-1342

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