Growing pains: Pre-entry experience and the challenge of transition to incumbency

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Chen, Pao-Lien; Williams, Charles; Agarwal, Rajshree
• 署名单位: University System of Maryland; University of Maryland College Park; National Tsing Hua University; Bocconi University
• 刊物名称: STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT JOURNAL
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0143-2095
• DOI: 10.1002/smj.954
• 发表日期: 2012
• 页码: 252-276
• 关键词: growth; EVOLUTION; entrepreneurship; DYNAMIC CAPABILITIES; reconfiguration

摘要

We examine how entrepreneurial entry by diversifying and de novo firms in new industries leads to different levels of performance. We propose that these types of firms differ in dynamic capabilities, which help them overcome growth impediments and transition to incumbency in the industry. Growth impediments arise at larger size, older tenure levels in industry, and after technological discontinuities. Because of their prior experience, diversifying firms are better equipped to handle the challenges of impediments to growth. Meanwhile, de novo firms, ostensibly tailor-made for the targeted industry, are more likely to stumble over these growth challenges, and eventually lag behind diversifying firms. We find support for our hypotheses using a near census of firms in the U.S. wireless telecommunications industry over the 19832004 period. Copyright (C) 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.