Kjellberg, Hans

How are markets shaped? My research revolves around market(-ing) practice and the strategic efforts of various actors to change how markets work. This includes activities that shape individual economic exchanges, activities through which rules and norms for such exchanges are shaped and activities through which such exchanges are represented as markets. The research approach I work with is inspired by the sociology of science and techniques and could be characterised as constructivist market studies. In my PhD thesis, Organising Distribution, I studied the modernisation of Swedish food distribution in the 1940s and 50s. I also take interest in methodological issues and in particular the use of sociological methods in studying markets. Over the years I have worked with a number of such methods such as quantitative network analysis, historical methods and narratology. In my work on market(-ing) practice I've been fortunate enough to co-operate closely with C-F Helgesson, formerly at SSE, now at Uppsala University. Over the past 15 years I have also been involved in the establishment of the Interdisciplinary Market Studies group with a number of likeminded colleagues across Europe: Luis Araujo, Manchester; Franck Cochoy, Toulouse; John Finch, Glasgow; Susi Geiger, UC Dublin; Debbie Harrison, BI; Robert Spencer, Euromed Marseille; Alexandre Mallard, Ecole de Mines ParisTech, among others.

I am currently engaged in four research projects at the Centre for Market Studies: an interdisciplinary programme on the digitalisation of consumption culture (funded by VR); a comparative study of valuation and pricing of cancer drugs (funded by RJ); a project examining the consequences on innovation of introducing formal evaluation techniques for medical devices (funded by SHB); and an interdisciplinary project on how the rise of online influencers reshapes commercial and social relations (funded by VR and SHB).

Some recent publications are: