Legitimation in practice: A new digital publishing business model

Abstract

This research studies the legitimation practices at Cyberlibris, a company introducing the innovative business model of a digital library to the field of publishing. The objective is to better understand how innovative actors deploy proactive strategies in order to acquire the legitimacy which is vital to their success. We conducted a longitudinal investigation of the practices of legitimation with particular focus on the sequence of the process and the role played by the dimensions of legitimation at each stage. The results propose an integrative framework of legitimation strategies based on four dimensions: the nature of legitimacy, and three key aspects of practice, namely, the subject of legitimation, the context, and the target audience. The study also captures the iterative and non-linear nature of the bricolage that characterises legitimation in practice, thus furthering our understanding of how the process of legitimation unfolds. Finally, we provide an account of how digitalisation can lead to innovation in the creative industries.