Back to the future: adoption and diffusion of innovation in retro-industries

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explain the emergence and existence of retro-industries. The paper proposes using a multidisciplinary approach to define the concept of retro-industries and to identify its specificities. Design/methodology/approach – Literature reviews in marketing and economics were used to create a model of innovation adoption and diffusion in retro-industries. Findings – The paper provides theoretical insights about the factors that foster retro-industries such as heritage, tradition, nostalgia and revival. The paper suggests that these factors influence innovations mechanisms and explain the use of the past to manage the challenges of the future. Originality/value – The paper enriches an identified need to analyse industry from retro perspective; and to identify the factors that foster the emergence of such industries.