Do-It-yourself laboratories as integration-based ecosystems

• Published in: Technological forecasting & social change 2020-12, Vol.161, p.120249, Article 120249
• Main Authors: Ng, Wilson, Arndt, Félix, Huang, Tori Y.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adoption of innovations; Breweries; Craft beer; Digital technologies; Digitalization; DIY labs; Ecosystems; Humanities and Social Sciences; Laboratories; Science and technology; Strategic planning; Value creation
• ISSN: 0040-1625; 1873-5509
• DOI: 10.1016/j.techfore.2020.120249

•Based on the phenomenon of do-it-yourself laboratories (DIY labs), this paper argues that prior theory of ecosystems have not adequately considered the possibility that participants in ecosystems may play multiple, as opposed to discrete, roles.•The paper theorizes on the implications of an integrated actor perspective for the dynamics of ecosystems.•It is suggested that actor roles in ecosystems develop within a culture of experimentation and over time. This development depends principally on whether DIY labs choose to adopt a “logic” of value creation, value appropriation, or both.•In substantiating the paper's arguments, three vignettes of DIY labs in the craft beer industry are presented. The nature of these labs is discussed in explaining why they emerged.•The possibility of participants’ integrated roles bears important implications for the nature and effects of ecosystems dynamics. These views are developed in four researchable propositions of integration-based ecosystems in DIY labs.•Implications of the dynamics of integration-based ecosystems are proposed for science, technology, and innovation research and policy on DIY labs. We develop theory on integration-based business ecosystems. Based on the phenomenon of do-it-yourself laboratories (DIY labs), we argue that prior theory of ecosystems have not adequately considered the possibility that participants in ecosystems may play multiple, as opposed to discrete, roles. The paper suggests that actor roles in ecosystems develop in an integrated way over time. We theorize on the implications of this integrated actor perspective for the dynamics of ecosystems. In substantiating our arguments, we draw on three vignettes of DIY labs in the craft beer industry and reflect on why these DIY labs emerged. This development depends principally on whether DIY labs choose to adopt a “logic” of value creation, value appropriation, or both. The possibility of participants’ multiple roles bears important implications for the nature and effects of ecosystems dynamics and for incumbents. These views are developed in four researchable Propositions of integration-based ecosystems in DIY labs. The paper concludes with implications of the dynamics of integration-based ecosystems for science, technology, and innovation (STI) research and policy on DIY labs.