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A new perspective on: evolutionary processes and organizational adaptation

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  • Thorbjørn Knudsen

    (Frankfurt School of Finance & Management
    University of Southern Denmark)

Abstract

Levinthal’s (Evolutionary processes and organizational adaptation: a Mendelian perspective on strategic management. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2021) book is not only a helpful resource on the many facets of organizational adaptation, but also a source of inspiration that promises to revitalize research on organizational evolution. Taking inspiration from this book, I outline a perspective on three topics that may enrich management research: (1) Levinthal’s treatment of path-dependence is a much-needed candidate for a general account of selection processes across biological and social domains; (2) Levinthal’s idea that corporate diversification and technological disruption may be considered instances of speciation—i.e., branching of lineages—(re)frames an exciting research agenda at the intersection of ecology and evolution; (3) Considering executives as a population of fruit flies may, from the perspective of empirical research, be a useful complement to the idea of the Mendelian executive.

Suggested Citation

  • Thorbjørn Knudsen, 2022. "A new perspective on: evolutionary processes and organizational adaptation," Journal of Organization Design, Springer;Organizational Design Community, vol. 11(3), pages 111-114, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jorgde:v:11:y:2022:i:3:d:10.1007_s41469-022-00120-y
    DOI: 10.1007/s41469-022-00120-y
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Thorbjørn Knudsen, 2004. "General selection theory and economic evolution: The Price equation and the replicator/interactor distinction," Journal of Economic Methodology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 11(2), pages 147-173.
    2. Robert A. Burgelman, 1991. "Intraorganizational Ecology of Strategy Making and Organizational Adaptation: Theory and Field Research," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 2(3), pages 239-262, August.
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