Introducing the inverted Icarus paradox in business history – Evidence from David and Goliath in the Swedish telecommunications industry 1981–1990
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 6043715 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Klas Eriksson (0000-0001-6039-947X, Stockholm School of Economics), Erik Lakomaa (0000-0002-8717-8164, Stockholm School of Economics), Rasmus Nykvist (0000-0001-6558-0817, Stockholm School of Economics), Christian Sandström (0000-0002-8625-8744, Jönköping International Business School & the Ratio Institute, Jönköping International Business School, Jönköping University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 67 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 551-576 |
| Publication date | 2025-02-17 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Business History (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0007-6791 • E-ISSN: 1743-7938 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/00076791.2023.2292134 |
| OpenAlex | W4392458948 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 3 |
| References cited | 60 |
Previous research in business and management history has identified the Icarus paradox, which describes how organisations may fall due to overconfidence and hubris. We build upon previous research on paradoxes in business history and introduce the notion of an inverted Icarus paradox. Using rich archival sources coded in a relational database, we show how an entrant firm, Comvik, outmanoeuvred an established government monopoly in the non-market domain from 1980 to 1990, despite inferior resources and a weak market position. The government monopoly Televerket faced an inverted Icarus paradox; it could not leverage its strengths and political connections as they were stuck in a David versus Goliath narrative where public opinion was more sympathetic to the entrant firm Comvik
Business · Business history · Economics · ICARUS · Management · Telecommunications · Telecommunications equipment · Economic Theory and Institutions · Engineering · Innovation and Knowledge Management · Innovation Diffusion and Forecasting
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| Unique citing works | 3 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 3 |
| Citation span | 2025 - 2025 (1) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 3 |