The process of commercializing a medical technology innovation for an INV through international trade fairs : Combining a network with a practice view

• This study combines a network with a practice view to understand the interactions that take place among different actors when commercializing a medical-technology innovation on international congresses/trade fairs. It takes an integrative stance to identify different kinds of networks, both commercial/non-commercial and academic ones which are important in the process of gaining international market acceptance. This study has identified what different types of tools/material are used in trade fair booths with the purpose of underpinning different arguments to various actors. For example, it reveals how crucial it is for the focal firm to have an impact on treatment guidelines and to become a first-hand collaborative actor with key opinion leaders and clinicians. It subsequently becomes important to understand how this is done through the creation of mutual values for the actors and by understanding and defining the incentives for their collaboration. The main findings of this paper illustrate how the different actors, activities and tools/material reinforce each other in order to create mutual value aiming at an international market acceptance for and adoption of the innovation. The study has also established that the focal firm has to think globally when it comes to science, but that there are many different country-specific circumstances to consider when it comes to value creation through the choice of different tools/material and activities. This study contributes to the international entrepreneurship literature by extending the view on internationalization by acknowledging tools and material that are co-created with different actors and through different activities. The study also highlights the need to extend the concept of business networks to uncover further dimensions such as academic and institutional ones in an international context.

Subject headings

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Ekonomi och näringsliv -- Företagsekonomi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Economics and Business -- Business Administration (hsv//eng)

Keyword

business and management

entrepreneurship

international business

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

kap (subject category)