University of Twente Student Theses
Partaking or differentiating? : the effect of exchange, normalizing, and representational market practices in the healthcare market : the case of the lower back treatment niche
Kornegoor, M.J.H. (2015) Partaking or differentiating? : the effect of exchange, normalizing, and representational market practices in the healthcare market : the case of the lower back treatment niche.
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Abstract: | How does the change in the configuration of a market allow healthcare providers to perform new and innovative behavior? While the plurality of marketing literature assumes an economic perspective with rational customers, recent studies show that a complete view of the market requires a sociological and performative perspective, i.e. the market as a collection of activities. The purpose of this thesis is to complement this perspective with an extra dimension that creates a holistic overview of the changes in a market; time. We draw on qualitative research conducted in the niche market of lower back treatment, where actors are exposed to various changes such as new competition legislation and changing patient characteristics, leaving them to question their own possibility to differentiate. We analyze how the practices in this niche market have changed and how this influenced the configuration of the market over time. Our study reveals that several changes in practices have occurred over time, either because new practices were introduced or practices are performed in more diverse ways. We further found that the role of certain actors has altered with these practices. These findings suggest that the configuration of the market has changed over time and likely will change in the future, offering healthcare providers options to differentiate as behavior is not totally socially determined. We contribute to the existing literature interested in market practices and performativity studies, by adding a time dimension. We further build on work interested in agency and the relation between practice research and institutional theory. |
Item Type: | Essay (Master) |
Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
Subject: | 85 business administration, organizational science |
Programme: | Business Administration MSc (60644) |
Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/66926 |
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