This book presents a comprehensive overview of the important role played by trade shows in the globalizing knowledge economy. Traditionally conceived as marketing tools, the book conceptualizes these events as temporary clusters and temporary markets that fundamentally facilitate the creation and diffusion of knowledge across geographical distances. This opens up new perspectives on trade shows, which have been undertheorized and understudied in the past. The book systematically explains the nature, extent, and structure of interaction and learning processes at trade shows and explains how the ... More

This book presents a comprehensive overview of the important role played by trade shows in the globalizing knowledge economy. Traditionally conceived as marketing tools, the book conceptualizes these events as temporary clusters and temporary markets that fundamentally facilitate the creation and diffusion of knowledge across geographical distances. This opens up new perspectives on trade shows, which have been undertheorized and understudied in the past. The book systematically explains the nature, extent, and structure of interaction and learning processes at trade shows and explains how they have become major building blocks in globalization processes. Based on empirical evidence from numerous trade shows in different industries and geographical contexts, the book explores (i) the global buzz of knowledge acquisition and release processes of trade show exhibitors and visitors, (ii) the content of the knowledge circulated and co-produced by trade show participants, and (iii) the strategies through which trade show organizers, exhibitors, and visitors shape learning processes and field reproduction. The book consists of four parts. Part I lays out the conceptual foundations of the knowledge-based perspective, from the early development of trade fairs to modern-day events. Part II applies this conceptualization to specific global developments, focusing on the formation of continental trade show platforms. Part III investigates differences in the nature of knowledge generation practices and collective marketing strategies across international hub shows, exports shows, and import shows in different industry groups, and investigates the dynamic competition between such events. Part IV discusses the policy implications of a knowledge-based conceptualization of trade shows for firms, organizers, and policymakers.