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Toward a Neo-Schumpeterian Theory of the Firm

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  • Sidney G. Winter

Abstract

This paper offers a sketch of what an economic theory of the firm would look like if it were founded on the thought of Joseph Schumpeter, particularly on Chapters 1-2 of his Theory of Economic Development. Schumpeterian analysis requires an intuitively appealing and realistic conceptualization of the distinction between routine and innovative behavior, and in particular, a conceptualization relevant to complex organizations and complex tasks. It is argued that the production theory found in mainstream economics does not meet this requirement, particularly because its characterization of productive knowledge involves an overly sharp distinction between “technically possible” and “technically impossible” – a distinction which has no counterpart in the realities of organizational knowledge. The main elements of a Schumpeterian view are described and contrasted with those in the mainstream view.

Suggested Citation

  • Sidney G. Winter, 2004. "Toward a Neo-Schumpeterian Theory of the Firm," LEM Papers Series 2004/20, Laboratory of Economics and Management (LEM), Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy.
    • Handle: RePEc:ssa:lemwps:2004/20
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    File URL: http://www.lem.sssup.it/WPLem/files/2004-20.pdf
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    1. Sidney G. Winter, 1964. "Economic "Natural Selection" and the Theory of the Firm," LEM Chapters Series, in: Yale Economic Essays, pages 225-272, Laboratory of Economics and Management (LEM), Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy.
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    Cited by:

    1. Fulvio Castellacci, 2007. "Technological regimes and sectoral differences in productivity growth ," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 16(6), pages 1105-1145, December.
    2. G. Dosi, 2012. "Economic Coordination and Dynamics: Some Elements of an Alternative “Evolutionary” Paradigm," Voprosy Ekonomiki, NP Voprosy Ekonomiki, issue 12.
    3. Lazaric, Nathalie, 2011. "Organizational routines and cognition: an introduction to empirical and analytical contributions," Journal of Institutional Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 7(2), pages 147-156, June.
    4. Malo Mofakhami, 2022. "Is Innovation Good for European Workers? Beyond the Employment Destruction/Creation Effects, Technology Adoption Affects the Working Conditions of European Workers," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 13(3), pages 2386-2430, September.
    5. Daniele Tori & Eugenio Caverzasi & Mauro Gallegati, 2023. "Financial production and the subprime mortgage crisis," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 33(2), pages 573-603, April.
    6. Costa, Rodrigo Morem da & Horn, Carlos Henrique, 2021. "The co-evolution of technology and employment relations: Institutions, innovation and change," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 313-324.
    7. Callegari, Beniamino & Nybakk, Erlend, 2022. "Schumpeterian theory and research on forestry innovation and entrepreneurship: The state of the art, issues and an agenda," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    8. Sidney G. Winter, 2017. "Pursuing the evolutionary agenda in economics and management research," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 41(3), pages 721-747.
    9. Bogliacino, Francesco & Rampa, Giorgio, 2014. "Expectational bottlenecks and the emerging of new organizational forms," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 29(C), pages 28-39.
    10. Dosi, Giovanni & Nelson, Richard R., 2010. "Technical Change and Industrial Dynamics as Evolutionary Processes," Handbook of the Economics of Innovation, in: Bronwyn H. Hall & Nathan Rosenberg (ed.), Handbook of the Economics of Innovation, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 0, pages 51-127, Elsevier.
    11. Jung, Eunjun & Lee, Changjun & Hwang, Junseok, 2022. "Effective strategies to attract crowdfunding investment based on the novelty of business ideas," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 178(C).
    12. Makkonen, Hannu & Pohjola, Mikko & Olkkonen, Rami & Koponen, Aki, 2014. "Dynamic capabilities and firm performance in a financial crisis," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 67(1), pages 2707-2719.
    13. Giovanni Dosi & Marco Grazzi, 2006. "Technologies as problem-solving procedures and technologies as input--output relations: some perspectives on the theory of production," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 15(1), pages 173-202, February.

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    Keywords

    Theory of the firm; Schumpeter; Innovation; Knowledge;
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