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Firm Size and Industry Structure Under Human Capital Intensity: Insights from the Evolution of the Global Advertising Industry

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  • Andrew von Nordenflycht

    (Faculty of Business Administration, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, British Columbia V6C 1W6, Canada)

Abstract

Although existing literature assumes that the human capital intensity of professional services leads to small and flimsy firms, several professional services feature large, long-lived firms. To develop insights about firm size and industry structure in human capital intensive industries, I analyze the structure and evolution of the advertising industry. Drawing on a range of quantitative and qualitative evidence, I develop two hypotheses regarding the industry's structure and consolidation: (1) size differentiation , in which firm size and industry structure are connected to the size distribution of clients' projects, and (2) financial intermediation , in which the industry's consolidation is ascribed to organizational innovations that mitigate transaction costs between external investors and ad agency owners. I then discuss the applicability of these two hypotheses to other professional services. The analysis suggests several new insights about the value of capital, the nature of demand, and the nature of assets in human capital intensive industries.

Suggested Citation

  • Andrew von Nordenflycht, 2011. "Firm Size and Industry Structure Under Human Capital Intensity: Insights from the Evolution of the Global Advertising Industry," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 22(1), pages 141-157, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:ororsc:v:22:y:2011:i:1:p:141-157
    DOI: 10.1287/orsc.1090.0518
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    3. Jay J. Janney & Steve Gove, 2017. "Firm Linkages to Scandals via Directors and Professional Service Firms: Insights from the Backdating Scandal," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 140(1), pages 65-79, January.
    4. 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.
    5. Nicholas Argyres & Todd R. Zenger, 2013. "Dynamics of organizational structure," Chapters, in: Anna Grandori (ed.), Handbook of Economic Organization, chapter 12, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    6. Zorn, Michelle L. & Norman, Patricia M. & Butler, Frank C. & Bhussar, Manjot S., 2017. "Cure or curse: Does downsizing increase the likelihood of bankruptcy?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 24-33.

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