Pavel Luksha. Presentation at European Association of Evolutionary Political Economists meeting. Case of Sun Java sponsored technological platform revisited with the concept of niche construction

1. Pavel Luksha [email_address] Strategies of Niche Construction for Dominant Technological Standards EAEPE’2009 Annual Conference, Amsterdam 7 November 2009

5. Typical strategies of uni-organizational guided niche construction G overnance mode Focal organization power is low Focal organization power is high Legitimate use of power Illegitimate use of power Direct governance Convincing , support in learning, etc. Mentoring Coopting Manipulation Violence Indirect / network governance Shared values , emotional contamination etc. Norm / goal / value setting Deceiving

7. Stages of Java standard formation Stage E : 2000-8 Stage D : 1997- 2006 Stage C : 1996-9, 2002-8 Stage B: 1995-9 Stage A: 1990-5 Product development & launch Installation base expansion Battle with the incumbent Standardi-zation ‘ Open control’ mode of standard development

13. Traditional explanation : focus on conflict and resource mobilization ( Garud et al., 2002) Stage E : standard development Stage D : standardi- zation Stage C : battle with incumbent Stage B: installation base Stage A: product development & launch Focus on Stage C : direct conflict with the incumbent (Microsoft) Stage B : resource mobilization to combat incumbent Image of ‘Java Sun open code against Microsoft closed code’ Stage D&E: improving competitive advantage over the incumbent

14. Role of niche construction as a harmonizing strategy Stage E : standard development Stage D : standardi- zation Stage C : battle with incumbent Stage B: installation base Stage A: product development & launch Stage A : role of ‘ initial construct’ Stage B : role of teaching / learning ( in direct contact with developers ) to create installation base Stage D-E : switch to the standardization strategy once the power over community is reached Stage B, D: promotion of the common understanding ( open source ) to establish common goal and values Stage E : role of education and brand building as niche constructing strategies strengthening central position of Sun

15. Typical strategies changed in time: case of Sun Java 2 1 3 4 G overnance mode Focal organization power is low Focal organization power is high Legitimate use of power Illegitimate use of power Direct governance Convincing , support in learning, etc. Mentoring Coopting Manipulation Violence Indirect / network governance Shared values , emotional contamination etc. Norm / goal / value setting Deceiving