ABSTRACT
With the theme of this final case chapter I intend to be a little more provocative. I have selected a trade fair as its core case. It can, and probably will by many readers, be argued that a trade fair is a service, rather than an organization. However, a successful trade fair is the result of combined effort by a number of organizations. Although each edition of a trade fair usually lasts only a few days, three in this case, it is held for a prolonged period, with regular intervals. Our example trade fair is held every year. Moreover, the interaction between the organizers of a trade fair and various other parties (exhibitors, visitors, government organizations, regulatory organizations, venue managers, etc.) is an ongoing business. The organization of the next edition of a trade fair has already started before the current edition has even opened its doors. In a similar fashion, while the current edition is being held, some unfinished business related to the previous one, like the collection of payments, may still be pending. The result is a social-cognitive structure, an aggregate of actors who rather frequently interact on a certain theme. One of the constructs resulting from this interaction is the concept of the trade fair, symbolized by its name. The cognitive element of this social-cognitive structure includes a construction rule that makes them convene at an agreed place and time each year. Their behaviour is coupled rather tightly: one party books and prepares the venue, while a number of other parties book parts of that venue from the former. Yet others just visit that venue to check out what is new, etc.
