Dressed for success in unstable market conditions: A retrospective case study of market-shaping in the clothing industry
(A2024-119532)

AUTHORS

Anna Granstedt, Åbo Akademi University

ABSTRACT

Market-shaping means that companies intentionally or unintentionally create, widen, maintain, or disrupt markets to their benefit. The aim of market-shaping is to affect the belief systems of other market actors to promote the business goals of companies, thus making it relevant for marketing practice. Market-shaping is still unknown to many marketing scholars and the literature on it is emerging. To address this, this study presents a case of retrospective action research on the market-shaping practices of a clothing company. The study suggests that small companies have a better chance of shaping markets when the degree of collaboration between market actors is high. Also, it finds that agility in unstable markets may aid companies to adjust their market-shaping strategies when necessary. By retrospectively studying a case through the lens of market-shaping literature, this study contributes to increasing knowledge on how companies can act in markets that are in a constant flux.