Strong in the morning, dead in the evening: a genealogical and contextual perspective on organizational selection

A key component of evolutionary models in economics and organizational research, the notion of organizational selection is rarely the object of inquiry. It generally suggests instead a neutral and unquestioned process, a mechanism explaining organizational success and survival. In this chapter, we explore the variation of selection; we problematize the notion of selection and do an exercise in conceptual genealogy. We differentiate between three patterns of firm selection: Darwinian, strategic, and institutional and define the associated ¿embedded rationalities¿ that buttress those different selection patterns. We illustrate how selection differed and evolved through time by exploring two empirical cases ¿ France and the United States. Building upon our empirical exploration, we stress some important contributions for three theories familiar to strategy scholars ¿ resource-based view, population ecology, and institutional theory. We also point to some consequences for empirical research and suggest new directions for future work on the dynamics of organizational action.