Ulrike Rohn: Achieving Optimal Distinctiveness: Cognitive Framing and Strategic Positioning in Media-Tech Start-ups

Ulrike will discuss a paper co-authored with colleagues from Sweden, Finland, and Germany, which examines how Estonian media-tech start-ups navigate their entrepreneurial journeys and strategic positioning. Drawing on strategic positioning, cognitive framing, and optimal distinctiveness theory from strategic management scholarship, the study explores how start-ups balance conformity with differentiation to achieve competitive advantage. Using the case of an Estonian media-tech accelerator, the authors identify three cognitive framing strategies: “zooming in and out for conformity,” “keeping competitive differentiation centre-focused,” and “zooming in for differentiation from non-competitors.” These strategies enable start-ups to dynamically position their identity, business models, and market roles—aligning with industry norms while highlighting unique value propositions. The findings underscore the pivotal role of managerial cognitive frames in navigating complex environments, fostering strategic flexibility, and sustaining competitive distinctiveness, offering valuable insights for both media management research and entrepreneurial practice.

Rohn, Ulrike; Jantunen, Ari; Maijanen, Päivi; Cestino, Joaquin; Gossel, Britta (2025, forthcoming): Achieving optimal distinctiveness: Cognitive framing and strategic positioning in media-tech start-ups. In: Journal of Media Business Studies.