ABSTRACT
It was noted before that the cycles of discovery and (dis)integration are not offered as inexorable, necessary and uniform. A complete discussion of contingencies that affect the cycles is beyond the scope of this chapter, and I can consider only a few (cf. Nooteboom 2000). The speed of the cycle, for example, depends on what level we are investigating: individual, firm, industry, techno-economic paradigm. Higher-level cycles contain many iterations of cycles on lower levels. On the level of idea formation by individuals the cycle can be quite fast: it can turn around in an hour or a day. Product cycles vary enormously. In financial services and some fashion goods the cycle can be a year; in cars, computers and machine tools two to four years; in major construction projects five to seven years; in pharmaceuticals and telecom infrastructure ten to fifteen years (Quinn 1992).
