W. Brian Arthur's work on path dependence and lock-in

W. Brian Arthur's work on path dependence and lock-in, particularly in the context of technology, highlights how early decisions and historical events can shape the trajectory of innovation and lead to the dominance of certain technologies or practices, even if superior alternatives exist. This concept, often linked to increasing returns, suggests that small, seemingly insignificant events can be amplified by positive feedback loops, leading to a "winner-take-all" scenario where one technology becomes dominant and locks out other, potentially better options