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New venture strategic adaptation: The interplay of belief structures and industry context

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  • Andreea N. Kiss
  • Pamela S. Barr

Abstract

type="main" xml:id="smj2285-abs-0001"> We adopt an information processing perspective to investigate how the interplay of belief structures and industry context shapes new venture strategic adaptation in a sample of 104 publicly traded new ventures founded between 1996 and 2006 in several technology-intensive industries. Results highlight that distinct espoused belief structures attributes (complexity, centrality, proactive causal logics) and industry growth combinations predict diversity, frequency, and speed of new venture strategic actions. We contribute to prior literature on early firm strategic adaptation by providing an elaborated understanding of the role of espoused belief structures in interpreting and translating industry signals into new venture strategic action. Further, we highlight the role of belief structures in facilitating the fast, diverse, and frequent organizational actions typically associated with continuous adaptation. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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  • Andreea N. Kiss & Pamela S. Barr, 2015. "New venture strategic adaptation: The interplay of belief structures and industry context," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(8), pages 1245-1263, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:stratm:v:36:y:2015:i:8:p:1245-1263
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