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Centers of Gravity: The Effect of Stable Shared Leadership in Top Management Teams on Firm Growth and Industry Evolution

Author

Listed:
  • Rajshree Agarwal
  • Serguey Braguinsky
  • Atsushi Ohyama

Abstract

We study the processes of firm growth in the evolution of the Japanese cotton spinning industry during 1883-1914 by integrating strategy and historical approaches and utilizing rich quantitative firm-level data and detailed business histories. The resultant conceptual model highlights growth outcomes of path dependencies as firms evolve across periods of single vs. shared leadership, establish stability in shared leadership, or experience repeated discord-induced TMT leader departures. While most firms do not experience smooth transitions to stable shared TMT leadership, a focus on value creation, in conjunction with talent recruitment and promotion, enabled some firms to achieve stable shared leadership in spite of discord-induced departures, engage in long term expansion, and emerge as “centers of gravity” for output and talent in the industry.

Suggested Citation

  • Rajshree Agarwal & Serguey Braguinsky & Atsushi Ohyama, 2018. "Centers of Gravity: The Effect of Stable Shared Leadership in Top Management Teams on Firm Growth and Industry Evolution," NBER Working Papers 24742, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:24742
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    Cited by:

    1. Saerom (Ronnie) Lee & J. Daniel Kim, 2024. "When do startups scale? Large‐scale evidence from job postings," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(9), pages 1633-1669, September.
    2. Yanyu Wang & Rui Wu & Jun Xia & Zhouyu Lin, 2024. "Excess IPO funds as an imprint: An imprinting perspective of acquisition activity," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 41(4), pages 1819-1860, December.
    3. Delin Meng & Yanxi Li & Lan Wang, 2024. "Seeking legitimacy? “Ownerless” companies and environmental performance," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 26(11), pages 27375-27408, November.
    4. Serguey Braguinsky & Atsushi Ohyama & Tetsuji Okazaki & Chad Syverson, 2021. "Product Innovation, Product Diversification, and Firm Growth: Evidence from Japan's Early Industrialization," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 111(12), pages 3795-3826, December.
    5. Eunhee Sohn & Robert Seamans & Daniel B. Sands, 2024. "Technology adoption and innovation: The establishment of airmail and aviation innovation in the United States, 1918–1935," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(1), pages 3-35, January.
    6. Berman, Alexander & Shoham, Amir & Teltch, Noam, 2024. "Founding Team Structure: A Critical Resource for Internationally Oriented Start-ups in the Era of Political Uncertainty," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 30(5).
    7. Garg, Sam & Howard, Michael & Pahnke, Emily Cox, 2025. "Directors in new technology-based ventures: An empirical inquiry," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 40(2).
    8. Hyeonsuh Lee & Sonali K. Shah & Rajshree Agarwal, 2024. "Spinning an entrepreneurial career: Motivation, attribution, and the development of organizational capabilities," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(3), pages 463-506, March.
    9. Maloney,William F. & Zambrano,Andrés, 2021. "Learning to Learn : Experimentation, Entrepreneurial Capital, and Development," Policy Research Working Paper Series 9890, The World Bank.
    10. Deng, Bofu & Peng, Zhenge & Chan, Kam C. & Chen, Hongce, 2025. "Top management team stability and stock price crash risk: Evidence from China," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    11. Joonkyu Choi & Nathan Goldschlag & John C. Haltiwanger & J. Daniel Kim, 2021. "Early Joiners and Startup Performance," NBER Working Papers 28417, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    12. Hai Huang & Shengbin Hao & Yu Chen, 2023. "The more the better? Service transition for shaping sustainable development in manufacturing firms and the role of top management team attributes," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(6), pages 3255-3270, November.
    13. Jia Liao & Yun Zhan & Yu Yuan, 2024. "Top management team stability and corporate default risk: The moderating effects of industry competition and strategic deviance," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 45(2), pages 809-827, March.
    14. Yao, Wenyun & Yang, Hang & Shi, Xiulian & Song, Zilong, 2024. "Top management team stability and debt concentration," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    15. Joonkyu Choi & Nathan Goldschlag & John Haltiwanger & J. Daniel Kim, 2019. "Founding Teams and Startup Performance," Working Papers 19-32, Center for Economic Studies, U.S. Census Bureau.
    16. Lin Jiang & Biyun Chen, 2023. "A Two-Stage Bilateral Matching Study of Teams-Technology Talents in New R&D Institutions Based on Prospect Theory," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-27, February.
    17. Bu, Jun & Fei, Tianlun & Zhou, Futong, 2024. "United we stand, divided we fall: The impact of top management team stability on corporate litigation," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 96(PB).
    18. Xu, Shuai & Zhang, Suge & Cheng, Chen, 2025. "How does top management team recomposition affect corporate trade credit financing," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    19. Luisa Gagliardi & Myriam Mariani, 2022. "Trained to lead: Evidence from industrial research," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(4), pages 847-871, April.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • L2 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior
    • L25 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Performance
    • L26 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Entrepreneurship
    • M12 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - Personnel Management; Executives; Executive Compensation
    • M13 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - New Firms; Startups
    • N85 - Economic History - - Micro-Business History - - - Asia including Middle East

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