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Making It Happen: Beyond Theories of the Firm to Theories of Firm Design

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  • Saras D. Sarasvathy

Abstract

Current theories of the firm provide no explanation for entrepreneurial success except in terms of firm success. Even when the focus is on the entrepreneur, s/he is entirely cast as a bundle of traits/behaviors or heuristics/biases that serves to explain firm performance. In this article, I suggest putting the entrepreneur center stage, adopting an instrumental view of the firm. Drawing upon the work of Simon in symbolic cognition and Lakoff in semantic cognition, I explore how we can go beyond explanations based on economic forces and evolutionary adaptation to entrepreneurial effectuation; I end with specific research questions pertaining to firm design .

Suggested Citation

  • Saras D. Sarasvathy, 2004. "Making It Happen: Beyond Theories of the Firm to Theories of Firm Design," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 28(6), pages 519-531, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:entthe:v:28:y:2004:i:6:p:519-531
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1540-6520.2004.00062.x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    7. Busenitz, Lowell W. & Barney, Jay B., 1997. "Differences between entrepreneurs and managers in large organizations: Biases and heuristics in strategic decision-making," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 12(1), pages 9-30, January.
    8. Simon, Herbert A, 1979. "Rational Decision Making in Business Organizations," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 69(4), pages 493-513, September.
    9. Baron, Robert A., 1998. "Cognitive mechanisms in entrepreneurship: why and when enterpreneurs think differently than other people," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 13(4), pages 275-294, July.
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