Matthew Effects, Criticality Traps, and Redundancy Slips in Digital Infrastructures: Evidence from Two Cases
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2025-01-07
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5968
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The goal of this study is to explore evidence for a Matthew effect in system embeddedness. The secondary objective is to understand the relationship between the Matthew effect and (1) a “criticality trap,” a situation where excess inertia leaves an organization trapped in a system or (2) a “redundancy slip,” where low embeddedness leads to system discontinuance. Through two case studies, we provide robust evidence for all three effects. In a media firm, we use nine years of panel data to demonstrate cubic growth in system embeddedness. In a manufacturing firm, we validate that the Matthew effect can lead to a criticality trap, but we also show that some systems experience a redundancy slip. Our practical insights are crucial for identifying and managing embedded systems in digital infrastructures. The Matthew effect is a powerful mechanism driving the evolution of systems and, consequently, digital infrastructures.
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Enterprise Ecosystems: The Integrated Enterprise, Levels of Information Systems Research (Process, Enterprise-, Ecosystem- and Industry-Level), criticality trap, matthew effect, redundancy slip, system embeddedness
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10
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Proceedings of the 58th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences
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Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
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