Category spanning and category evolution emerging from category spanning
Niittymies, Minttu (2025)
2025
Johtamisen ja tietotekniikan DI-ohjelma - Master's Programme in Management and Information Technology
Johtamisen ja talouden tiedekunta - Faculty of Management and Business
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Hyväksymispäivämäärä
2025-05-20
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202505155555
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202505155555
Tiivistelmä
Positioning on the system of market categories is one of the crucial decisions for companies entering the market. Versatile requirements and changes in customer demands and business environment can make it challenging to fit into just one category which leads to category spanning, that is, stretching category boundaries and combining attributes from different categories. Category spanning shape categories and affect the evolution of the category and even the whole system of categories. In evolving situations long-term plans may be challenging, whereas robust actions are an applicable approach to operate.
The purpose of this study was to expand the knowledge and understanding of category spanning, category evolution and the role of robust actions in these processes. The consequences of category spanning for the company are mainly studied in stable categories. This study complements this literature by providing sights of consequences for the customers also and in evolving categories. Previous research discusses slightly about the evolution of categories, however lacking deep understanding of the category evolution process. This study provides a process model of category evolution and presents the effects of contextual factors and robust actions of company on this evolution process. By doing this, the literature of category spanning, category evolution and robust actions have linked to each other.
To deepen the knowledge and understanding of these themes, this study was executed as a qualitative case study. The primary source of data was interviews of the entrepreneurs of the case company and representatives of the chosen customer organizations. In data analysis the iterative approaches were utilized. The interview data was then used to build complementary theory for studied topics.
Findings of this study suggest that when the provider spans categories, the consequences for both the provider itself and the customers are versatile, including mostly positive business benefits and quality improvements, but also strong dependence between actors which may cause negative effects for both parties. The process model of category evolution created based on data shows that category evolution occurs around the category spanning, and different contextual factors and robust actions utilized by the provider highly drive it.
Besides theoretical contributions, this study also provides practical information for the company, regarding category spanning, category evolution and utilization of robust actions. Findings encourage the company to span categories which are linked to each other and enable providing comprehensive solutions and added value for the customers. Based on findings, robust actions are also highly recommended in changing and evolving situations.
The purpose of this study was to expand the knowledge and understanding of category spanning, category evolution and the role of robust actions in these processes. The consequences of category spanning for the company are mainly studied in stable categories. This study complements this literature by providing sights of consequences for the customers also and in evolving categories. Previous research discusses slightly about the evolution of categories, however lacking deep understanding of the category evolution process. This study provides a process model of category evolution and presents the effects of contextual factors and robust actions of company on this evolution process. By doing this, the literature of category spanning, category evolution and robust actions have linked to each other.
To deepen the knowledge and understanding of these themes, this study was executed as a qualitative case study. The primary source of data was interviews of the entrepreneurs of the case company and representatives of the chosen customer organizations. In data analysis the iterative approaches were utilized. The interview data was then used to build complementary theory for studied topics.
Findings of this study suggest that when the provider spans categories, the consequences for both the provider itself and the customers are versatile, including mostly positive business benefits and quality improvements, but also strong dependence between actors which may cause negative effects for both parties. The process model of category evolution created based on data shows that category evolution occurs around the category spanning, and different contextual factors and robust actions utilized by the provider highly drive it.
Besides theoretical contributions, this study also provides practical information for the company, regarding category spanning, category evolution and utilization of robust actions. Findings encourage the company to span categories which are linked to each other and enable providing comprehensive solutions and added value for the customers. Based on findings, robust actions are also highly recommended in changing and evolving situations.