IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/jbrese/v193y2025ics0148296325001547.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Imitation: Mitigating AI backfire

Author

Listed:
  • Zhang, Fan
  • Pan, Jieyi

Abstract

Previous research suggests that artificial intelligence (AI) influences organizational resources through automation and augmentation. We extend this perspective by identifying backfire effects, driven primarily by technological uncertainty in AI implementation. We propose that imitation strategies can help microenterprises mitigate these challenges. Using a simulation methodology, the findings indicate that imitation is more effective than non-imitation in addressing AI’s backfire effects on microenterprises. Specifically, imitating enterprises within the same size category yields greater advantages than imitating top entities across all categories, with the most effective strategy being to follow the leading entities of the same size. This study contributes to the literature on AI’s dark side and imitation strategies, providing a strategic direction for microenterprises to manage AI-related uncertainties.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhang, Fan & Pan, Jieyi, 2025. "Imitation: Mitigating AI backfire," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 193(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:193:y:2025:i:c:s0148296325001547
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2025.115331
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0148296325001547
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.jbusres.2025.115331?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Loureiro, Sandra Maria Correia & Guerreiro, João & Tussyadiah, Iis, 2021. "Artificial intelligence in business: State of the art and future research agenda," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 911-926.
    2. Lee G. Branstetter & Matej Drev & Namho Kwon, 2019. "Get with the Program: Software-Driven Innovation in Traditional Manufacturing," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 65(2), pages 541-558, February.
    3. Roman Inderst & Kiryl Khalmetski & Axel Ockenfels, 2019. "Sharing Guilt: How Better Access to Information May Backfire," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 65(7), pages 3322-3336, July.
    4. Kevin Bauer & Moritz von Zahn & Oliver Hinz, 2023. "Expl(AI)ned: The Impact of Explainable Artificial Intelligence on Users’ Information Processing," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 34(4), pages 1582-1602, December.
    5. Chakravarthi Narasimhan & Özge Turut, 2013. "Differentiate or Imitate? The Role of Context-Dependent Preferences," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 32(3), pages 393-410, May.
    6. Sarah Lebovitz & Hila Lifshitz-Assaf & Natalia Levina, 2022. "To Engage or Not to Engage with AI for Critical Judgments: How Professionals Deal with Opacity When Using AI for Medical Diagnosis," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 33(1), pages 126-148, January.
    7. Felipe A. Csaszar & Nicolaj Siggelkow, 2010. "How Much to Copy? Determinants of Effective Imitation Breadth," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 21(3), pages 661-676, June.
    8. Huseyin Gurkan & Francis de Véricourt, 2022. "Contracting, Pricing, and Data Collection Under the AI Flywheel Effect," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 68(12), pages 8791-8808, December.
    9. Dimov, Dimo & Pistrui, Joseph, 2024. "Dynamics of entrepreneurial well-being: Insights from computational theory," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 172(C).
    10. Stefan Jonsson & Patrick Regnér, 2009. "Normative barriers to imitation: social complexity of core competences in a mutual fund industry," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(5), pages 517-536, May.
    11. Victoria Buenger & Richard L. Daft & Edward J. Conlon & Jeffrey Austin, 1996. "Competing Values in Organizations: Contextual Influences and Structural Consequences," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 7(5), pages 557-576, October.
    12. Hemant Jain & Balaji Padmanabhan & Paul A. Pavlou & T. S. Raghu, 2021. "Editorial for the Special Section on Humans, Algorithms, and Augmented Intelligence: The Future of Work, Organizations, and Society," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 32(3), pages 675-687, September.
    13. Satornino, Cinthia B. & Grewal, Dhruv & Guha, Abhijit & Schweiger, Elisa B. & Goodstein, Ronald C., 2023. "The perks and perils of artificial intelligence use in lateral exchange markets," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    14. Vibha Gaba & Ann Terlaak, 2013. "Decomposing Uncertainty and Its Effects on Imitation in Firm Exit Decisions," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 24(6), pages 1847-1869, December.
    15. Angelopoulos, Spyros & Bendoly, Elliot & Fransoo, Jan C. & Hoberg, Kai & Ou, Carol & Tenhiälä, Antti, 2023. "Digital transformation in operations management: Fundamental change through agency reversal," Other publications TiSEM 373742f5-0b87-4276-9ed6-8, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    16. Arun Rai, 2020. "Explainable AI: from black box to glass box," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 48(1), pages 137-141, January.
    17. Julian Senoner & Torbjørn Netland & Stefan Feuerriegel, 2022. "Using Explainable Artificial Intelligence to Improve Process Quality: Evidence from Semiconductor Manufacturing," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 68(8), pages 5704-5723, August.
    18. Zhewei Zhang & Youngjin Yoo & Kalle Lyytinen & Aron Lindberg, 2021. "The Unknowability of Autonomous Tools and the Liminal Experience of Their Use," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 32(4), pages 1192-1213, December.
    19. Tinglong Dai & Sridhar Tayur, 2022. "Designing AI‐augmented healthcare delivery systems for physician buy‐in and patient acceptance," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 31(12), pages 4443-4451, December.
    20. Frank T. Rothaermel & Warren Boeker, 2008. "Old technology meets new technology: complementarities, similarities, and alliance formation," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(1), pages 47-77, January.
    21. Markus Blut & Cheng Wang & Nancy V. Wünderlich & Christian Brock, 2021. "Understanding anthropomorphism in service provision: a meta-analysis of physical robots, chatbots, and other AI," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 49(4), pages 632-658, July.
    22. Lane Peterson Fronczek & Martin Mende & Maura L. Scott & Gergana Y. Nenkov & Anders Gustafsson, 2023. "Friend or foe? Can anthropomorphizing self-tracking devices backfire on marketers and consumers?," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 51(5), pages 1075-1097, September.
    23. Abhinav Gupta & Vilmos F. Misangyi, 2018. "Follow the leader (or not): The influence of peer CEOs’ characteristics on interorganizational imitation," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 39(5), pages 1437-1472, May.
    24. Manis, K.T. & Madhavaram, Sreedhar, 2023. "AI-Enabled marketing capabilities and the hierarchy of capabilities: Conceptualization, proposition development, and research avenues," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    25. Makarius, Erin E. & Mukherjee, Debmalya & Fox, Joseph D. & Fox, Alexa K., 2020. "Rising with the machines: A sociotechnical framework for bringing artificial intelligence into the organization," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 120(C), pages 262-273.
    26. Meng Li & Tao Li, 2022. "AI Automation and Retailer Regret in Supply Chains," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 31(1), pages 83-97, January.
    27. Sebastian Krakowski & Johannes Luger & Sebastian Raisch, 2023. "Artificial intelligence and the changing sources of competitive advantage," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(6), pages 1425-1452, June.
    28. James G. March, 1991. "Exploration and Exploitation in Organizational Learning," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 2(1), pages 71-87, February.
    29. Hart E. Posen & Dirk Martignoni, 2018. "Revisiting the imitation assumption: Why imitation may increase, rather than decrease, performance heterogeneity," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 39(5), pages 1350-1369, May.
    30. Gligor, David M. & Pillai, Kishore Gopalakrishna & Golgeci, Ismail, 2021. "Theorizing the dark side of business-to-business relationships in the era of AI, big data, and blockchain," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 133(C), pages 79-88.
    31. Hart E. Posen & Sangyoon Yi & Jeho Lee, 2020. "A contingency perspective on imitation strategies: When is “benchmarking” ineffective?," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(2), pages 198-221, February.
    32. Raffaele Oriani & Maurizio Sobrero, 2008. "Uncertainty and the market valuation of R&D within a real options logic," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(4), pages 343-361, April.
    33. Julian Freitas & Stuti Agarwal & Bernd Schmitt & Nick Haslam, 2023. "Psychological factors underlying attitudes toward AI tools," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 7(11), pages 1845-1854, November.
    34. Jingoo Kang & Sang‐Joon Kim, 2020. "Performance implications of incremental transition and discontinuous jump between exploration and exploitation," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(6), pages 1083-1111, June.
    35. Abeba Birhane, 2022. "The unseen Black faces of AI algorithms," Nature, Nature, vol. 610(7932), pages 451-452, October.
    36. Edward Felten & Manav Raj & Robert Seamans, 2021. "Occupational, industry, and geographic exposure to artificial intelligence: A novel dataset and its potential uses," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 42(12), pages 2195-2217, December.
    37. Dmitry Sharapov & Jan‐Michael Ross, 2023. "Whom should a leader imitate? Using rivalry‐based imitation to manage strategic risk in changing environments," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(1), pages 311-342, January.
    38. Jun Xia & Justin Tan & David Tan, 2008. "Mimetic entry and bandwagon effect: the rise and decline of international equity joint venture in China," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(2), pages 195-217, February.
    39. Grewal, Dhruv & Guha, Abhijit & Satornino, Cinthia B. & Schweiger, Elisa B., 2021. "Artificial intelligence: The light and the darkness," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 136(C), pages 229-236.
    40. Du, Shuili & Xie, Chunyan, 2021. "Paradoxes of artificial intelligence in consumer markets: Ethical challenges and opportunities," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 961-974.
    41. Barry, Christopher B. & Brown, Stephen J., 1984. "Differential information and the small firm effect," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 13(2), pages 283-294, June.
    42. Omid Omidvar & Mehdi Safavi & Vern L. Glaser, 2023. "Algorithmic Routines and Dynamic Inertia: How Organizations Avoid Adapting to Changes in the Environment," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 60(2), pages 313-345, March.
    43. Jakob Alfitian & Dirk Sliwka & Timo Vogelsang, 2024. "When Bonuses Backfire: Evidence from the Workplace," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 70(9), pages 6395-6414, September.
    44. H. Henry Cao & Liye Ma & Z. Eddie Ning & Baohong Sun, 2024. "How Does Competition Affect Exploration vs. Exploitation? A Tale of Two Recommendation Algorithms," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 70(2), pages 1029-1051, February.
    45. David J. Teece & Gary Pisano & Amy Shuen, 1997. "Dynamic capabilities and strategic management," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 18(7), pages 509-533, August.
    46. Henrich R. Greve, 2009. "Bigger and safer: the diffusion of competitive advantage," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(1), pages 1-23, January.
    47. Robin J. Tanner & Rosellina Ferraro & Tanya L. Chartrand & James R. Bettman & Rick Van Baaren, 2008. "Of Chameleons and Consumption: The Impact of Mimicry on Choice and Preferences," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 34(6), pages 754-766, August.
    48. Xueming Luo & Siliang Tong & Zheng Fang & Zhe Qu, 2019. "Frontiers: Machines vs. Humans: The Impact of Artificial Intelligence Chatbot Disclosure on Customer Purchases," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 38(6), pages 937-947, November.
    49. repec:oup:jconrs:v:49:y:2023:i:5:p:838-860. is not listed on IDEAS
    50. Suzanne G. Tilleman & Michael V. Russo & Andrew J. Nelson, 2020. "Institutional Logics and Technology Development: Evidence from the Wind and Solar Energy Industries," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 31(3), pages 649-670, May.
    51. Thomas Davenport & Abhijit Guha & Dhruv Grewal & Timna Bressgott, 2020. "How artificial intelligence will change the future of marketing," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 48(1), pages 24-42, January.
    52. Siliang Tong & Nan Jia & Xueming Luo & Zheng Fang, 2021. "The Janus face of artificial intelligence feedback: Deployment versus disclosure effects on employee performance," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 42(9), pages 1600-1631, September.
    53. Jason P. Davis & Vikas A. Aggarwal, 2020. "Knowledge mobilization in the face of imitation: Microfoundations of knowledge aggregation and firm‐level innovation," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(11), pages 1983-2014, November.
    54. Davide Castelvecchi, 2016. "Can we open the black box of AI?," Nature, Nature, vol. 538(7623), pages 20-23, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Sullivan, Yulia & Fosso Wamba, Samuel, 2024. "Artificial intelligence and adaptive response to market changes: A strategy to enhance firm performance and innovation," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).
    2. Volkmar, Gioia & Fischer, Peter M. & Reinecke, Sven, 2022. "Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning: Exploring drivers, barriers, and future developments in marketing management," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 149(C), pages 599-614.
    3. Erdem Dogukan Yilmaz & Christian Peukert, 2024. "Who Benefits from AI? Project-Level Evidence on Labor Demand, Operations and Profitability," CESifo Working Paper Series 11321, CESifo.
    4. Erik Hermann & Gizem Yalcin Williams & Stefano Puntoni, 2024. "Deploying artificial intelligence in services to AID vulnerable consumers," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 52(5), pages 1431-1451, October.
    5. Dmitry Sharapov & Jan‐Michael Ross, 2023. "Whom should a leader imitate? Using rivalry‐based imitation to manage strategic risk in changing environments," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(1), pages 311-342, January.
    6. Leah Warfield Smith & Randall Lee Rose & Alex R. Zablah & Heath McCullough & Mohammad “Mike” Saljoughian, 2023. "Examining post-purchase consumer responses to product automation," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 51(3), pages 530-550, May.
    7. Mari, Alex & Mandelli, Andreina & Algesheimer, René, 2024. "Empathic voice assistants: Enhancing consumer responses in voice commerce," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).
    8. Zhang, Yaqiong & Wang, Shifu, 2023. "The influence of anthropomorphic appearance of artificial intelligence products on consumer behavior and brand evaluation under different product types," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    9. Shengxing Yang, 2022. "A systematic literature review on the disruptions of artificial intelligence within the business world: in terms of the evolution of competences [Une revue systématique de la littérature sur les bo," Post-Print hal-03694170, HAL.
    10. Yoo Jung Ha, 2021. "Foreign multinational enterprises and eco-innovation in local firms: the effect of imitation," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 20(4), pages 488-517, September.
    11. O. C. Ferrell & Dana E. Harrison & Linda K. Ferrell & Haya Ajjan & Bryan W. Hochstein, 2024. "A theoretical framework to guide AI ethical decision making," AMS Review, Springer;Academy of Marketing Science, vol. 14(1), pages 53-67, June.
    12. Hermann, Erik & Puntoni, Stefano, 2024. "Artificial intelligence and consumer behavior: From predictive to generative AI," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 180(C).
    13. Yuan, Haixia & Lü, Kevin & Fang, Wenting, 2025. "Machines vs. humans: The evolving role of artificial intelligence in livestreaming e-commerce," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    14. Ritala, Paavo & Aaltonen, Päivi & Ruokonen, Mika & Nemeh, Andre, 2024. "Developing industrial AI capabilities: An organisational learning perspective," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    15. Darima Fotheringham & Michael A. Wiles, 2023. "The effect of implementing chatbot customer service on stock returns: an event study analysis," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 51(4), pages 802-822, July.
    16. Christoph Riedl & Eric Bogert, 2024. "Effects of AI Feedback on Learning, the Skill Gap, and Intellectual Diversity," Papers 2409.18660, arXiv.org.
    17. Robertson, Jeandri & Botha, Elsamari & Oosthuizen, Kim & Montecchi, Matteo, 2025. "Managing change when integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into the retail value chain: The AI implementation compass," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    18. Jana Holthöwer & Jenny Doorn, 2023. "Robots do not judge: service robots can alleviate embarrassment in service encounters," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 51(4), pages 767-784, July.
    19. Jeon, Yongwoog Andrew, 2022. "Let me transfer you to our AI-based manager: Impact of manager-level job titles assigned to AI-based agents on marketing outcomes," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 892-904.
    20. Guha, Abhijit & Grewal, Dhruv & Kopalle, Praveen K. & Haenlein, Michael & Schneider, Matthew J. & Jung, Hyunseok & Moustafa, Rida & Hegde, Dinesh R. & Hawkins, Gary, 2021. "How artificial intelligence will affect the future of retailing," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 97(1), pages 28-41.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:193:y:2025:i:c:s0148296325001547. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/jbusres .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.