Philippe Lamb, Oussama Darouichi, Claudia Jonczyk Sédès
Our study aims to assess the state of knowledge on the performance of international small and medium-sized (SME) firms, and formulate a relevant research agenda. We review 231 contributions published between 1993 and 2019, and identify the main theoretical debates, key success factors and measures of international SME performance, and the theoretical and methodological approaches used in this literature. Based on our analysis, we propose a definition of performance factors according to the theoretical frameworks identified, and the overall determinants and performance measures identified. For future research, we suggest a more holistic theoretical and empirical perspective, a qualitative and longitudinal approach, and a greater focus on developing country SMEs.
{"title":"The performance of international small and medium-sized enterprises: Overview and future research directions","authors":"Philippe Lamb, Oussama Darouichi, Claudia Jonczyk Sédès","doi":"10.1002/cjas.1674","DOIUrl":"10.1002/cjas.1674","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Our study aims to assess the state of knowledge on the performance of international small and medium-sized (SME) firms, and formulate a relevant research agenda. We review 231 contributions published between 1993 and 2019, and identify the main theoretical debates, key success factors and measures of international SME performance, and the theoretical and methodological approaches used in this literature. Based on our analysis, we propose a definition of performance factors according to the theoretical frameworks identified, and the overall determinants and performance measures identified. For future research, we suggest a more holistic theoretical and empirical perspective, a qualitative and longitudinal approach, and a greater focus on developing country SMEs.</p>","PeriodicalId":47349,"journal":{"name":"Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences-Revue Canadienne Des Sciences De L Administration","volume":"39 4","pages":"432-451"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2022-06-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/cjas.1674","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"132341928","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Philippe Lamb, Oussama Darouichi, Claudia Jonczyk Sédès
<p>Les petites et moyennes entreprises (PME) jouent un rôle essentiel dans le commerce international (Suh et Kim, <span>2014</span>; Toulova, Votoupalova et Kubickova, <span>2015</span>). Elles représentent plus de 99% des entreprises, 70% des emplois et contribuent entre 50% à 60% de la valeur ajoutée au niveau mondial (OCDE, <span>2017a</span>, <span>2017b</span>). Aussi, plus de 78% des entreprises exportatrices dans le monde sont des PME (Li, <span>2018</span>).</p><p>Nous pouvons distinguer différentes catégories de PMEs internationales<sup>1</sup> selon l'organisation des activités à l'international (Torrès, <span>1997</span>). La « PME internationale » se contente de vendre ses produits sur les marchés étrangers, alors que la « PME globale », pleinement intégrée à l'international, coordonne ses activités en amont et en aval de sa chaîne de valeurs dans de nombreux pays. Enfin, la « PME glocale » commercialise ses produits sur le marché domestique, mais coordonne des activités en amont de sa chaîne de valeurs, telles que des importations ou l'engagement de personnel étranger. Aussi, St-Pierre et Perrault (<span>2009</span>) mettent en évidence trois dimensions mutuellement non-exclusives de l'internationalisation de la PME. L'internationalisation « mercantile » combine des activités d'exportation, d'importation, de sous-traitance et éventuellement d'investissement direct étranger. L'internationalisation technologique concerne l'amélioration des activités de production, R&D et des compétences relatives à partir de ressources situées à l'international. Enfin, l'internationalisation organisationnelle se réfère à la capacité de la PME de gérer les projets à l'international, en termes de contrôle de la valeur, d'efficacité et de gestion des risques.</p><p>La PME internationale est un sujet largement débattu depuis l’étude pionnière de Johanson et Wiedersheim-Paul (<span>1975</span>). En revanche, l'intérêt pour la performance des PMEs internationales est relativement récent. Alors que les premières études sur le sujet apparaissent dans les années 1990 (Hart et Tzokas, <span>1999</span>; Lefebvre, Lefebvre et Bourgault, <span>1998</span>; Rolfo, Vaglio et Vitali, <span>1993</span>), la question de la performance est devenue l'un des sujets les plus débattus dans la littérature portant sur les PMEs internationales (Morais et Ferreira, <span>2019</span>; Ribau, Moreira et Raposo, <span>2018</span>). En effet, il s'agit d'un enjeu de taille du point de vue managérial. Cela est d'autant plus vrai dans le contexte économique actuel. La globalisation et la digitalisation ont augmenté l'intensité concurrentielle, ce qui oblige les PME à accroître leur compétitivité à l'international (Etemad, Wilkinson et Dana, <span>2010</span>; Lemaire, <span>2013</span>; Manyika, Lund, Bughin, Woetzel, Stamenov et Dhingra, <span>2016</span>).</p><p>En raison du nombre croissant de contributions scientifiques relatives à la performance des PME internationales (Figu
{"title":"La performance des PMEs internationales: État des lieux et pistes de recherches futures","authors":"Philippe Lamb, Oussama Darouichi, Claudia Jonczyk Sédès","doi":"10.1002/cjas.1675","DOIUrl":"10.1002/cjas.1675","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Les petites et moyennes entreprises (PME) jouent un rôle essentiel dans le commerce international (Suh et Kim, <span>2014</span>; Toulova, Votoupalova et Kubickova, <span>2015</span>). Elles représentent plus de 99% des entreprises, 70% des emplois et contribuent entre 50% à 60% de la valeur ajoutée au niveau mondial (OCDE, <span>2017a</span>, <span>2017b</span>). Aussi, plus de 78% des entreprises exportatrices dans le monde sont des PME (Li, <span>2018</span>).</p><p>Nous pouvons distinguer différentes catégories de PMEs internationales<sup>1</sup> selon l'organisation des activités à l'international (Torrès, <span>1997</span>). La « PME internationale » se contente de vendre ses produits sur les marchés étrangers, alors que la « PME globale », pleinement intégrée à l'international, coordonne ses activités en amont et en aval de sa chaîne de valeurs dans de nombreux pays. Enfin, la « PME glocale » commercialise ses produits sur le marché domestique, mais coordonne des activités en amont de sa chaîne de valeurs, telles que des importations ou l'engagement de personnel étranger. Aussi, St-Pierre et Perrault (<span>2009</span>) mettent en évidence trois dimensions mutuellement non-exclusives de l'internationalisation de la PME. L'internationalisation « mercantile » combine des activités d'exportation, d'importation, de sous-traitance et éventuellement d'investissement direct étranger. L'internationalisation technologique concerne l'amélioration des activités de production, R&D et des compétences relatives à partir de ressources situées à l'international. Enfin, l'internationalisation organisationnelle se réfère à la capacité de la PME de gérer les projets à l'international, en termes de contrôle de la valeur, d'efficacité et de gestion des risques.</p><p>La PME internationale est un sujet largement débattu depuis l’étude pionnière de Johanson et Wiedersheim-Paul (<span>1975</span>). En revanche, l'intérêt pour la performance des PMEs internationales est relativement récent. Alors que les premières études sur le sujet apparaissent dans les années 1990 (Hart et Tzokas, <span>1999</span>; Lefebvre, Lefebvre et Bourgault, <span>1998</span>; Rolfo, Vaglio et Vitali, <span>1993</span>), la question de la performance est devenue l'un des sujets les plus débattus dans la littérature portant sur les PMEs internationales (Morais et Ferreira, <span>2019</span>; Ribau, Moreira et Raposo, <span>2018</span>). En effet, il s'agit d'un enjeu de taille du point de vue managérial. Cela est d'autant plus vrai dans le contexte économique actuel. La globalisation et la digitalisation ont augmenté l'intensité concurrentielle, ce qui oblige les PME à accroître leur compétitivité à l'international (Etemad, Wilkinson et Dana, <span>2010</span>; Lemaire, <span>2013</span>; Manyika, Lund, Bughin, Woetzel, Stamenov et Dhingra, <span>2016</span>).</p><p>En raison du nombre croissant de contributions scientifiques relatives à la performance des PME internationales (Figu","PeriodicalId":47349,"journal":{"name":"Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences-Revue Canadienne Des Sciences De L Administration","volume":"39 4","pages":"O65-O84"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2022-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/cjas.1675","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"114788016","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"CANADIAN JOURNAL OF ADMINISTRATIVE SCIENCES REVUE CANADIENNE DES SCIENCES DE L’ADMINISTRATION BEST PAPER AWARDS OF 2021/PRIX DU MEILLEUR ARTICLE 2021","authors":"","doi":"10.1002/cjas.1683","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/cjas.1683","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":47349,"journal":{"name":"Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences-Revue Canadienne Des Sciences De L Administration","volume":"39 2","pages":"231"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2022-06-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"137888969","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This study focuses on corporate espionage undertaken by WestJet Airlines, Canada's second largest air carrier. Employing a case study, we examine how board leadership-endorsed internet snooping affected WestJet's board structure and performance. We also paired the case study with an event study methodology to enhance the case narrative and illustrate market responses to continuing revelations of WestJet's espionage over time. We find that investors initially discounted WestJet's value then over time reacted more to market changes and positive scandal-related outcomes. WestJet withstood the adverse effects of wrongdoing and regained investor confidence and profitability via substantive and symbolic changes to their board leadership structure. The study's theoretical and practical implications are also given.
{"title":"Corporate wrongdoing and board leadership structure: An analysis of the WestJet spying scandal","authors":"Shamsud D. Chowdhury, Jerry Paul Sheppard","doi":"10.1002/cjas.1678","DOIUrl":"10.1002/cjas.1678","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This study focuses on corporate espionage undertaken by WestJet Airlines, Canada's second largest air carrier. Employing a case study, we examine how board leadership-endorsed internet snooping affected WestJet's board structure and performance. We also paired the case study with an event study methodology to enhance the case narrative and illustrate market responses to continuing revelations of WestJet's espionage over time. We find that investors initially discounted WestJet's value then over time reacted more to market changes and positive scandal-related outcomes. WestJet withstood the adverse effects of wrongdoing and regained investor confidence and profitability via substantive and symbolic changes to their board leadership structure. The study's theoretical and practical implications are also given.</p>","PeriodicalId":47349,"journal":{"name":"Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences-Revue Canadienne Des Sciences De L Administration","volume":"39 4","pages":"381-395"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2022-06-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"133402755","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The current research examines the consequences of supervisors' overtime hours on subordinates. Drawing upon the stressor-emotion model of counterproductive behaviors, we argue that supervisors' overtime hours positively relate to abusive supervision behaviors through negative emotions, which in turn undermine leader–member exchange relationships. We further posit that this process is exacerbated among subordinates with a strong relational self-concept. Multisource multilevel data collected from an organizational sample of 181 employees and longitudinal data from 416 employees from multiple organizations support our predictions. This research indicates that the consequences of working overtime extend beyond supervisors, as subordinates may be negatively affected when their supervisors work long hours. We discuss implications for both theory and practice.
{"title":"Supervisors' overtime hours, abusive supervision and leader–member exchange: How supervisors' long work hours harm their relationships with subordinates","authors":"Marie-Colombe Afota, Christian Vandenberghe","doi":"10.1002/cjas.1677","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/cjas.1677","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The current research examines the consequences of supervisors' overtime hours on subordinates. Drawing upon the stressor-emotion model of counterproductive behaviors, we argue that supervisors' overtime hours positively relate to abusive supervision behaviors through negative emotions, which in turn undermine leader–member exchange relationships. We further posit that this process is exacerbated among subordinates with a strong relational self-concept. Multisource multilevel data collected from an organizational sample of 181 employees and longitudinal data from 416 employees from multiple organizations support our predictions. This research indicates that the consequences of working overtime extend beyond supervisors, as subordinates may be negatively affected when their supervisors work long hours. We discuss implications for both theory and practice.</p>","PeriodicalId":47349,"journal":{"name":"Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences-Revue Canadienne Des Sciences De L Administration","volume":"40 1","pages":"33-49"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2022-05-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"50146943","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Public accountability forums can be useful mechanisms for ensuring that governments are responsive to the perspectives, preferences, and needs of citizens. This study explores how ICTs are affecting public accountability forums and how citizens interact with elected and appointed government officials. A case study of a municipal government in Ontario, Canada, describes how a virtual public accountability forum emerged and functioned based on social media data and interviews with public officials. The case demonstrates that social media can facilitate new channels of interaction between citizens and public officials. Key features of these virtual forums include anonymous participation, variable duration, and dynamic audience size. The case also demonstrates that the demand for information provision within accountability relationships is not just a singular type of ex-post exchange. There is a new channel of information exchange that is continuous and malleable because it can evolve and change instantaneously over ICTs.
{"title":"Virtual forums for public accountability: How internet and communication technologies are influencing citizen interactions with a local government","authors":"Sina Bahramirad","doi":"10.1002/cjas.1676","DOIUrl":"10.1002/cjas.1676","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Public accountability forums can be useful mechanisms for ensuring that governments are responsive to the perspectives, preferences, and needs of citizens. This study explores how ICTs are affecting public accountability forums and how citizens interact with elected and appointed government officials. A case study of a municipal government in Ontario, Canada, describes how a virtual public accountability forum emerged and functioned based on social media data and interviews with public officials. The case demonstrates that social media can facilitate new channels of interaction between citizens and public officials. Key features of these virtual forums include anonymous participation, variable duration, and dynamic audience size. The case also demonstrates that the demand for information provision within accountability relationships is not just a singular type of ex-post exchange. There is a new channel of information exchange that is continuous and malleable because it can evolve and change instantaneously over ICTs.</p>","PeriodicalId":47349,"journal":{"name":"Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences-Revue Canadienne Des Sciences De L Administration","volume":"39 3","pages":"313-327"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2022-05-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"131002596","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
We submit a qualitative analysis of the failure of the Energy East pipeline project. We explain that failure by a managerial underestimation of the political and social dynamics at work. We conclude that managers must tackle seriously the challenges surrounding their social license to operate and view these not only as an issue among others to be managed but as an opportunity to develop a broader and renewed understanding of collective action.
{"title":"Négligence managériale et acceptabilité sociale: Le cas énergie est (2012–2017)","authors":"Joseph Facal, Jean-François Thibault","doi":"10.1002/cjas.1671","DOIUrl":"10.1002/cjas.1671","url":null,"abstract":"<p>We submit a qualitative analysis of the failure of the Energy East pipeline project. We explain that failure by a managerial underestimation of the political and social dynamics at work. We conclude that managers must tackle seriously the challenges surrounding their social license to operate and view these not only as an issue among others to be managed but as an opportunity to develop a broader and renewed understanding of collective action.</p>","PeriodicalId":47349,"journal":{"name":"Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences-Revue Canadienne Des Sciences De L Administration","volume":"39 2","pages":"O50-O62"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2022-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"129399074","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Secil Bayraktar, Gaye Karacay, Ali Dastmalchian, Hayat Kabasakal
Drawing on institutional theory, this paper aims to examine whether society and industry act as constraining factors on organizational culture and leadership preferences in three countries in the Middle East and North Africa. The sample includes 55 organizations in Egypt, Iran, and Turkey operating in the finance and food industries. The findings show that organizational culture and leadership preferences vary across different societies in the region. Moreover, some organizational culture practices differ across industries, whereas leadership preferences do not. These findings demonstrate the importance of context (mainly on society and partially on industry) on shaping organizational culture and perceived leadership effectiveness. The practical implications suggest that managers must be aware that even countries in the same region have practice differences.
{"title":"Organizational culture and leadership in Egypt, Iran, and Turkey: The contextual constraints of society and industry","authors":"Secil Bayraktar, Gaye Karacay, Ali Dastmalchian, Hayat Kabasakal","doi":"10.1002/cjas.1665","DOIUrl":"10.1002/cjas.1665","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Drawing on institutional theory, this paper aims to examine whether society and industry act as constraining factors on organizational culture and leadership preferences in three countries in the Middle East and North Africa. The sample includes 55 organizations in Egypt, Iran, and Turkey operating in the finance and food industries. The findings show that organizational culture and leadership preferences vary across different societies in the region. Moreover, some organizational culture practices differ across industries, whereas leadership preferences do not. These findings demonstrate the importance of context (mainly on society and partially on industry) on shaping organizational culture and perceived leadership effectiveness. The practical implications suggest that managers must be aware that even countries in the same region have practice differences.</p>","PeriodicalId":47349,"journal":{"name":"Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences-Revue Canadienne Des Sciences De L Administration","volume":"39 4","pages":"413-431"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2022-03-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"132817150","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This study aims to extend transaction cost economics (TCE) to explain the effects of the strategies of internal and external R&D on innovation performance under two types of environmental uncertainty, namely dynamism and complexity. As a departure from conventional TCE wisdom that internally focused R&D strategy is more efficient under environmental uncertainty, this study proposes that such a strategy can be less efficient under environmental dynamism, which is another important type of uncertainty. The results from a sample of manufacturing firms in China from 2002 to 2007 show that externally focused R&D strategy leads to better innovation performance under environmental dynamism, whereas internally focused R&D strategy results in better innovation performance under environmental complexity.
{"title":"Joint influence of R&D strategy and environmental uncertainty on innovation performance: Insight from transaction cost economics","authors":"Zhouyu Lin, Marshall S. Jiang, Xiaoting Wang","doi":"10.1002/cjas.1670","DOIUrl":"10.1002/cjas.1670","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This study aims to extend transaction cost economics (TCE) to explain the effects of the strategies of internal and external R&D on innovation performance under two types of environmental uncertainty, namely dynamism and complexity. As a departure from conventional TCE wisdom that internally focused R&D strategy is more efficient under environmental uncertainty, this study proposes that such a strategy can be less efficient under environmental dynamism, which is another important type of uncertainty. The results from a sample of manufacturing firms in China from 2002 to 2007 show that externally focused R&D strategy leads to better innovation performance under environmental dynamism, whereas internally focused R&D strategy results in better innovation performance under environmental complexity.</p>","PeriodicalId":47349,"journal":{"name":"Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences-Revue Canadienne Des Sciences De L Administration","volume":"39 4","pages":"396-412"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2022-03-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"114143381","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Vladislav Valentinov, Kristof Van Assche, Frans Hermans
Embracing methodological individualism, the mainstream economic theory of the firm has little to say about the precarious nature of the firm's embeddedness in encompassing socioecological systems. The digital transformation of the theory of the firm can address this gap by deconstructing the standpoint of methodological individualism. In transaction cost economics, this standpoint is manifest in two assumptions about human nature, namely bounded rationality and opportunism. Drawing on Chester Barnard's insights on the firm, the present paper seeks to construct a view of organizations as emergent systems irreducible to the activities of participating individuals. By inverting the assumptions of bounded rationality and opportunism, the paper differentiates between two varieties of the emergent nature of the firm, cognitive and moral. The ideas of the cognitive and moral emergence of the firm expand the pallet of options for the firm to adapt to socioecological systems and illuminate the notion of sustainability transitions. This way, the digitally enhanced understanding of the firm offers hope for a better dialogue between the economic theory of the firm, sustainability scholarship, and business ethics.
{"title":"Toward a digital transformation of the theory of the firm: Emergence as framework for organizational sustainability","authors":"Vladislav Valentinov, Kristof Van Assche, Frans Hermans","doi":"10.1002/cjas.1668","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/cjas.1668","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Embracing methodological individualism, the mainstream economic theory of the firm has little to say about the precarious nature of the firm's embeddedness in encompassing socioecological systems. The digital transformation of the theory of the firm can address this gap by deconstructing the standpoint of methodological individualism. In transaction cost economics, this standpoint is manifest in two assumptions about human nature, namely bounded rationality and opportunism. Drawing on Chester Barnard's insights on the firm, the present paper seeks to construct a view of organizations as emergent systems irreducible to the activities of participating individuals. By inverting the assumptions of bounded rationality and opportunism, the paper differentiates between two varieties of the emergent nature of the firm, cognitive and moral. The ideas of the cognitive and moral emergence of the firm expand the pallet of options for the firm to adapt to socioecological systems and illuminate the notion of sustainability transitions. This way, the digitally enhanced understanding of the firm offers hope for a better dialogue between the economic theory of the firm, sustainability scholarship, and business ethics.</p>","PeriodicalId":47349,"journal":{"name":"Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences-Revue Canadienne Des Sciences De L Administration","volume":"40 3","pages":"270-282"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2022-03-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"50150471","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}