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Resource Partitioning, the Founding of Specialist Firms, and Innovation: The American Feature Film Industry, 1912–1929

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  • John M. Mezias

    (Department of Management, University of Miami, 414 R Jenkins Building, Coral Gables, Florida, 33124)

  • Stephen J. Mezias

    (Department of Management/Organizational Behavior, New York University, 44 West 4th Street, New York, New York, 10012)

Abstract

Past research has established that large bureaucratic firms are less innovative than other firms. This reduced innovativeness is likely to be exacerbated when large firms engage in market control. In cultural industries, the effects can be especially pernicious, resulting in the failure to provide audiences with artistic quality or product diversity. We investigate the population dynamics of one cultural industry: the early American feature film industry. Specifically, we examine the hypothesis that concentration among large generalist firms will be associated with higher rates of foundings of specialist producers and specialist distributors. We also investigate the question of whether these specialists are more innovative. Specifically, we examine the hypothesis that specialists were more active than were generalists in the creation of new film genres in the early years of the American film industry. We find that increased concentration among generalists had a positive effect on foundings of specialist producers and specialist distributors, and that the specialists were more active in the creation of new film genres. Implications of these findings for future research, both on cultural industries and on the population dynamics of the founding of specialist firms, are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • John M. Mezias & Stephen J. Mezias, 2000. "Resource Partitioning, the Founding of Specialist Firms, and Innovation: The American Feature Film Industry, 1912–1929," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 11(3), pages 306-322, June.
  • Handle: RePEc:inm:ororsc:v:11:y:2000:i:3:p:306-322
    DOI: 10.1287/orsc.11.3.306.12504
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Gerben Bakker, 2005. "The decline and fall of the European film industry: sunk costs, market size, and market structure, 1890–1927," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 58(2), pages 310-351, May.
    2. Shu, Li & Wang, Wei, 2023. "Human capital and trademarks: Evidence from higher education expansion in China," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(10).
    3. Castaldi, Carolina, 2018. "To trademark or not to trademark: The case of the creative and cultural industries," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(3), pages 606-616.
    4. Ramin Vandaie & Akbar Zaheer, 2015. "Alliance Partners and Firm Capability: Evidence from the Motion Picture Industry," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 26(1), pages 22-36, February.
    5. Giuseppe Delmestri & Fabrizio Montanari & Alessandro Usai, 2005. "Reputation and Strength of Ties in Predicting Commercial Success and Artistic Merit of Independents in the Italian Feature Film Industry," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 42(5), pages 975-1002, July.
    6. F. Ted Tschang & Gokhan Ertug, 2016. "New Blood as an Elixir of Youth: Effects of Human Capital Tenure on the Explorative Capability of Aging Firms," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 27(4), pages 873-892, August.
    7. Helveston, John P. & Wang, Yanmin & Karplus, Valerie J. & Fuchs, Erica R.H., 2019. "Institutional complementarities: The origins of experimentation in China’s plug-in electric vehicle industry," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(1), pages 206-222.
    8. Yubin Yang & Seungyoup Choo & Seong-Joon Limb, 2023. "Vertical Integration Strategies and Environmental Uncertainty: China’s Film Industry," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(1), pages 21582440231, February.
    9. Peng, George Z. & Beamish, Paul W., 2019. "Subnational FDI Legitimacy and Foreign Subsidiary Survival," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 25(3), pages 1-1.

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