国外营销论文87Wholey_Brittain_1986_AMR.pdf

Academy of Management Review, 1986, Vol. 11, No. 3, 513-533. Organizational Ecology: Findings and Implications DOUGLAS R. WHOLEY University of Arizona JACK W. BRITTAIN University of Texas, Austin Organizational ecology has focused largely on theoretical and con- ceptual debates, with relatively little attention devoted to integrating emerging research. In this paper, empirical literature is reviewed focusing on the environmental and organizational determinants of the formation of the firm; the liabilities of newness and smallness; the advantages of generalist and specialist strategies; the difficulties associated with organizational life-cycle transitions; and the competi- tive and demographic structures of industry. This research not only contributes to the basic understanding of organizational demo- graphics, but it also suggests some significant changes in how organi- zational processes are modeled. Theoretical meanings are clarified and theo- mechanism. Selection theories have a long, and retical differences made apparent by putting some might argue disreputable, history in the research into practice. Theories emerge with their social sciences, which traces back to Marx (1954) flaws highlighted when