Dynamics of networks in trade fairs-a multilevel relational approach to the cooperation among competitors

Abstract

Trade fairs mobilise multiple levels of agency, particularly individual and organisational. However, the multilevel character of these events is often oversimplified or ignored in the literature. This article uses multilevel network analysis to explore how temporary proximity during trade fairs facilitates enduring multilevel relational configurations that shape the economic structure of a particular industry. Using the concept of multilevel and multisided triad, I demonstrate that cooperation is also dependent on context and on the opposing side of the market, and because these triads are used disproportionately by employees from the largest companies, they contribute to increased socioeconomic inequalities between market actors.