Bringing Institutional Theory to Marketing

Description

Selling innovation projects: rhetorical layering work and imbrication of institutional logics in city reform Abstract Acceptance is a central challenge for innovation projects. Whenever acceptance is discussed in various technology acceptance models, most studies have framed innovation acceptance in fairly narrow conceptual terms – e.g. as traits of innovators or early adopters, portraying individuals as passive recipients of the innovations, reacting to a ‘given’ innovation. An institutional understanding of innovation acceptance within a city, however, suggests that gaining acceptance is a social accomplishment; requiring rhetorical layering work and imbrication of institutional logics. We attempt to understand the challenges of gaining acceptance for innovation projects in city reform. Drawing upon evidence from the city of Medellín in the emerging market of Colombia, which was awarded world innovative city of the year 2012, this study sought to understand the selling rhetoric which brought about innovation project acceptance among different actors. The findings identify the rhetorical selling work deployed disrupted pre-existing institutional logics, while also layering the institutional logics with the empowerment of innovation projects. Keywords: selling, innovation acceptance; institutions, rhetoric

Period	2017
Event type	Conference
Location	Paris, France