Citation

Burr TC. Mark. Theo. 2014; 14(1): 19-34.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1470593113497741

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Despite advances in understanding markets from many perspectives, total market demand remains understudied. Influences on demand, such as conditions of product use, also remain neglected. Scholars of three traditions-institutionalism, product life cycle, and performativity or "market-shaping"-can help us understand aspects of demand, conditions of use, and efforts to shape those conditions. In this article, I make two arguments that the "use-environment" is a major influence on total market demand and that action to modify use-environments, or "market-widening," can increase that demand. I illustrate these arguments by narrating and analyzing cases of bicycle markets in the United States and France circa 1890. Finally, I develop the implications of these cases for market studies.

Language: en