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Can a technology turn (also) into a symbol? The 3D printers case

Fassio, Claudio LU and Grilli, Luca (2020) In International Journal of Technology Management 82(3-4). p.244-275
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.

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author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
3D printers, New business models, Social movements
in
International Journal of Technology Management
volume
82
issue
3-4
pages
32 pages
publisher
Inderscience Publishers
external identifiers
  • scopus:85092636364
ISSN
0267-5730
DOI
10.1504/IJTM.2020.108985
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
1586cbe4-242b-4643-ae33-837bf61f09f2
date added to LUP
2020-11-12 07:35:10
date last changed
2024-01-02 22:02:07
@article{1586cbe4-242b-4643-ae33-837bf61f09f2,
  abstract     = {{<p>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.</p>}},
  author       = {{Fassio, Claudio and Grilli, Luca}},
  issn         = {{0267-5730}},
  keywords     = {{3D printers; New business models; Social movements}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3-4}},
  pages        = {{244--275}},
  publisher    = {{Inderscience Publishers}},
  series       = {{International Journal of Technology Management}},
  title        = {{Can a technology turn (also) into a symbol? The 3D printers case}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1504/IJTM.2020.108985}},
  doi          = {{10.1504/IJTM.2020.108985}},
  volume       = {{82}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}