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Game changer : the topology of creativity

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de Vaan, Mathijs, Vedres, Balazs and Stark, David (2015) Game changer : the topology of creativity. American Journal of Sociology, 120 (4). pp. 1144-1194. doi:10.1086/681213 ISSN 0002-9602.

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/681213

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Abstract

This article examines the sociological factors that explain why some creative teams are able to produce game changers—cultural products that stand out as distinctive while also being critically recognized as outstanding. The authors build on work pointing to structural folding—the network property of a cohesive group whose membership overlaps with that of another cohesive group. They hypothesize that the effects of structural folding on game changing success are especially strong when overlapping groups are cognitively distant. Measuring social distance separately from cognitive distance and distinctiveness independently from critical acclaim, the authors test their hypothesis about structural folding and cognitive diversity by analyzing team reassembly for 12,422 video games and the career histories of 139,727 video game developers. When combined with cognitive distance, structural folding channels and mobilizes a productive tension of rules, roles, and codes that promotes successful innovation. In addition to serving as pipes and prisms, network ties are also the source of tools and tensions.

Item Type: Journal Article
Subjects: G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GV Recreation Leisure
H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor
Divisions: Faculty of Social Sciences > Centre for Interdisciplinary Methodologies
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH): Teams in the workplace, Video games -- Design, Video games industry
Journal or Publication Title: American Journal of Sociology
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
ISSN: 0002-9602
Official Date: January 2015
Dates:
DateEvent
January 2015Published
Volume: 120
Number: 4
Page Range: pp. 1144-1194
DOI: 10.1086/681213
Status: Peer Reviewed
Publication Status: Published
Access rights to Published version: Open Access (Creative Commons)
Date of first compliant deposit: 16 December 2016
Date of first compliant Open Access: 16 December 2016
Funder: National Science Foundation (U.S.) (NSF)
Grant number: SES-1123807 (NSF)

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