Processes of Emergence and Change in Industry and Ecosystem Infrastructure

Infrastructures that support industries and ecosystems do not spontaneously appear. In some instances, infrastructure existing in other settings can be adapted to the challenge being addressed by a nascent industry or technology. In other situations, infrastructure components must be developed from scratch. This chapter examines the emergence and change of industrial infrastructures that support the development and commercialization of technological innovations. It reviews the ecological layers that make up the context of organizations and innovation and then summarizes the components of infrastructure particularly relevant to industry and ecosystem development. It also reviews studies on the temporal dynamics of infrastructure across multiple perspectives including community ecology, ecosystems, and economic geography. It concludes with a discussion of the drivers and obstacles to industrial advancement, and develops a model of infrastructure emergence and change.