Evolutionary Dynamics of Organizations [Paperback]

Joel A.C. Baum (Editor), Jitendra V. Singh (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0195085841 | ISBN-13: 978-0195085846 | Publication Date: March 31, 1994

This book presents the latest research and theory about organizational evolutionary change. It brings together the work of organization theorists who have played key roles in challenging the orthodox adaptation views that prevailed until the beginning of the 1980s. Joel A.C. Baum and Jitendra V. Singh emphasize hierarchy of evolutionary processes at the intraorganizational level, the organizational level, the population level, and the community level. Derived from a conference held at the Stern School of Business at New York University, Evolutionary Dynamics of Organizations is organized in a way that gives order and coherence to what has been a diverse and multidisciplinary field.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Organizations rise and fall. In between, they change--sometimes negligibly, sometimes gradually, sometimes radically. For the scholar who is interested in understanding the latest thinking on organizational evolution and change, this book is critically important. It presents fresh, insightful pieces from many of the leading thinkers on the topic. We can expect to find the Baum and Singh volume on a lot of desks, and represented in many reference lists, through the rest of the 90's.--Donald C. Hambrick, Columbia University

"Goes a long way toward integrating much of organizational studies."--Contemporary Sociology

"During the past decade, evolutionary theorizing has moved from the periphery to center stage in guiding work on organizations. This volume not only underscores this trend, but broadens and enriches it by examining the multiple, nested evolutionary systems--subunit, organization, population, organizational community--relevant to organizational change."--W. Richard Scott, Stanford University

"This is an excellent volume, full of exciting and impressive contributions from a broad range of top-notch scholars."--Walter W. Powell, University of Arizona

"The most intellectually vibrant and sophisticated collection of original works connecting evolution, organization theory, and change. Knowledgeable, timely, and wonderfully challenging."--Paul M. Hirsch, Northwestern University

About the Author

Joel A.C. Baum is at New York University. Jitendra V. Singh is at University of Pennsylvania.

Product Details

• Paperback: 528 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (March 31, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195085841
• ISBN-13: 978-0195085846
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,391,529 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Conceptual Confusion, August 11, 2007

By 

Dennis During (Mount Vernon, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Evolutionary Dynamics of Organizations (Paperback)

"Evolution" is not the right word for what Baum is talking about. "Learning" is. Evolution can take place among the population of, say, retail bakeries over time. They are started, they grow, they multiply outlets, they are absorbed by other entities, they close up shop. If a single organization changes, that is not usefully called evolution. It is LEARNING. What might be a mere semantic issue were it buried somewhere in the text, is a fairly reliable indicator of conceptual confusion in a chapter heading -- or a book title.