Abstract
The 3D printing industry has been recently affected by two events: the fact that open source (OS) business models are getting momentum, and the widespread diffusion of the Maker Movement. We argue that 3D printers can be conceptualised as innovations which embody both technological and symbolic aspects. If innovations of the first type are solely adopted for their technical utility, innovations which have also symbolic connotation may confer a new social meaning to an item. By analysing an international sample of 3D printer users, we highlight that adoption of 3D proprietary printers are driven by technologically-rooted considerations, while adherence to the Maker Movement is a key factor behind the adoption of 3D OS printers.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 244-275 |
| Number of pages | 32 |
| Journal | International Journal of Technology Management |
| Volume | 82 |
| Issue number | 3-4 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2020 |
Subject classification (UKÄ)
- Economics
- Sociology (excluding Social Work, Social Anthropology, Demography and Criminology)
Free keywords
- 3D printers
- New business models
- Social movements