Adaptation and Diffusion of Renovations: The Case of the Paleo Diet

Innovations and related consumption practices rarely spread as is. Instead, they are adapted and reinvented as they diffuse. Adaptation is imperative in the diffusion of renovations, which require configuration to make them meaningful and suitable to the present time. This paper examines, in the context of the paleo diet and lifestyle, the actions of market actors in facilitating the adaptation and diffusion of renovations and the ensuing tensions. Using data gathered from archival and netnographic sources, the authors identify three types of institutional work—theorizing, mythologizing, and customizing—that fuel adaptation and diffusion. The findings inform our understanding of how diffusing renovations are managed by market agents, the contested nature of adaptation, and the potential of renovation adaptation to expand markets.