Location
Hilton Waikoloa Village, Hawaii
Event Website
https://hicss.hawaii.edu/
Start Date
7-1-2025 12:00 AM
End Date
10-1-2025 12:00 AM
Description
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.
Recommended Citation
Akbari, Karl; Baiyere, Abayomi; Winkler, Till J.; and Fürstenau, Daniel, "Matthew Effects, Criticality Traps, and Redundancy Slips in Digital Infrastructures: Evidence from Two Cases" (2025). Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences 2025 (HICSS-58). 5.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/hicss-58/os/enterprise_system_integration/5
Matthew Effects, Criticality Traps, and Redundancy Slips in Digital Infrastructures: Evidence from Two Cases
Hilton Waikoloa Village, Hawaii
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.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/hicss-58/os/enterprise_system_integration/5