Factors impacting market shaping intentions – a study of Newfoundland & Labrador craft breweries
(A2023-114465)

AUTHORS

William Newell, Grenfell Campus, Memorial University; Chris Ellegaard, Aarhus University

ABSTRACT

The growth of craft beer around the world has been shaped both by individual firm actions and the collective efforts of regional craft breweries joining forces to change consumer taste, establish sales channels, and build business relationships with retailers. However, researchers in the market driving field still do not -fully understand how actors like those in the craft beer industry weave together different types of actions to shape markets. Through a longitudinal qualitative study of craft breweries, we set out to explore the factors that cause actors to pursue individual versus collective actions and purposive versus purposeful market shaping actions. We conducted 24 interviews over a two-year development period of a new craft beer market. We find eight common factors that affect these two dimensions, and when and how they are present. This research contributes to calls for greater understanding of common antecedents to multiple market shaping actions, and how market shaping actions interact to shape and maintain markets. Ultimately our research sheds light on how actors can choose their market shaping action based on the eight factors we discuss.