“Space” as a synonym for industry, sector or business segment

Question

When, and from where, did "space", as a synonym for industry, sector, or business segment, enter the language? For example, one wouldn't expect to read "His family made a fortune in the buggy whip space", but sentences such as "Is this a game-changer, in a negative way, for other IPOs in the social media space?" are common.

UPDATE: Thanks for answers so far. I don't believe any of them answer the question as to the etymological derivation and date of entry into the language of this meaning of the term.

Answer 1

The use of "space" seems to arise in the context of the so-called "New Economy" (or at least the belief in one).

The original "New Economy" was in the "Roaring (19)20s, which helps explain XaVier's comment of about "first use" around 1920.

But the main use of "space" in this context was during the tech boom of the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries.

This idea was best expressed by Buzz Lightyear" "To infinity and beyond" (in advance of the "new economy.")

Answer 2

I don't know the history of the word however, it's meaning in this context is about a rough grouping of something. This could be an economic group or a lot of other things. Since it's meaning is much broader than industry, it's not exactly a synonym. It implies other aspects, not merely industry.