Innovation dynamics and industrial dynamics in a local production system. Changes in the agents/artifacts space in tile decoration: from silk screen to laser engraved silicon cylinder

The objective of this study is to outline a general method for describing empirically the structure of the agent/artifact space, for analysing the dynamics whereby structural and cognitive changes come about, and for evaluating the generativeness of the relationships in the agent/artifact space. The paper highlights how the concrete case to be studied is defined in order to collect significant elements (qualitative and quantitative information) useful for a deeper understanding of innovation theory. In particular, the paper presents how we have chosen the particular agents and artifacts space whose structure is investigated empirically and how we manage an analysis of changes within that structure when we find that changes occur at a multiplicity of levels. The analysis moves from micro-micro level to micro-, meso- and macro-level, moreover it takes account of changes in agents’ identities?