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Before Identity: The Emergence of New Organizational Forms

Author

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  • C. Marlene Fiol

    (Business School, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, Colorado 80217)

  • Elaine Romanelli

    (McDonough School of Business, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057)

Abstract

The evolution of new organizational forms has attracted growing theoretical and empirical attention, but little research has considered the microsocial processes that promote the emergence of groups of quasi-similar organizations that sometimes evolve into new organizational forms. Drawing from social psychological and sociological theories of identity formation, we explain processes of individual identification and collective identity development that precede and promote the formation of similar clusters, which audiences can then recognize and distinguish from established organizational populations and other emerging similarity clusters.

Suggested Citation

  • C. Marlene Fiol & Elaine Romanelli, 2012. "Before Identity: The Emergence of New Organizational Forms," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 23(3), pages 597-611, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:ororsc:v:23:y:2012:i:3:p:597-611
    DOI: 10.1287/orsc.1110.0666
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    11. Garud, Raghu & Gehman, Joel & Giuliani, Antonio Paco, 2014. "Contextualizing entrepreneurial innovation: A narrative perspective," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(7), pages 1177-1188.
    12. Dedehayir, Ozgur & Mäkinen, Saku J. & Ortt, J. Roland, 2022. "Innovation ecosystems as structures: Actor roles, timing of their entrance, and interactions," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 183(C).
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    17. David G. McKendrick & Michael T. Hannan, 2014. "Oppositional Identities and Resource Partitioning: Distillery Ownership in Scotch Whisky, 1826–2009," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 25(4), pages 1272-1286, August.
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