“Therein resides uncertainty. The innovation which succeeds is the one which comes to master it by choosing good speakers”

“When listening to such a scientist that I have chosen as collaborator, having confidence in such a marketing specialist, in believing such an opinion poll, in taking up the results presented in such journals, am I becoming involved in a redefinition of my project which multiplies the number
of allies that I am interesting, rather than isolating myself more and more? Will users, electrons, the competition, bankers all act in the way that these spokespersons surrounding me maintain? These spokespersons whose status as representatives I am unsure of, that is to say, whether they will be refuted in the following instant by all those, electrons, consumers, bankers, in whose name they claim to speak (Callon, 1986; Latour, 1987; Akrich, 1992)? Do all these pieces of information and assurances deserve to be believed?
Therein resides uncertainty. The innovation which succeeds is the one which comes to master it by choosing good speakers. A strategic choice which depends on the project being undertaken and which also assumes this irreplaceable intuition which gives one the impression that this remarkable discourse, held by a single being, is credible. It is not until after the blow, but only after the blow, that one will unequivocally know if the retained spokespersons were legitimate”.

Akrich, M., Callon, M., Latour, B. (2002). The key to success in innovation part II: the art of choosing good spokespersons. International Journal of Innovation Management, 6(02), 218.