UCL School of Management

Research project

Organizational Evolution and Adaptation

Summary

Capitalist societies are shaped, to a large extent, by organizations, including corporations, non-profit advocacy groups, and government agencies. Thus, to understand the evolution of capitalist societies, we need to understand how influential organizations change and adapt to shifting circumstances. Some argue that chance events play a huge role in shaping organizations, while others privilege explanations grounded in the power of organizational agency. How can we as social scientists model organizational evolution in a way that enables rigorous empirical investigation?   

Relevance

Selected publications

Sarta, A., Durand, R., & Vergne, J. (2020). Organizational Adaptation. Journal of Management. doi:10.1177/0149206320929088 [link]
Sarta, A., Durand, R., & Vergne, J. (2020). Organizational Adaptation. Journal of Management. doi:10.1177/0149206320929088 [link]
Vergne, J. P. (2013). Qwerty is dead, long live path dependence. Research Policy, 42 (6-7), 1191-1194.
Vergne, J. P., & Durand, R. (2011). The Path of Most Persistence: An Evolutionary Perspective on Path Dependence and Dynamic Capabilities. Organization Studies, 32 (3), 365-382. doi:10.1177/0170840610397485 [link]
Vergne, J. P., & Depeyre, C. (2015). How do firms adapt? A fuzzy-set analysis of the role of cognition and capabilities in U.S. defense firms' responses to 911. Academy of Management Journal, 59 (5), 1653-1680. doi:10.5465/amj.2013.1222 [link]
Vergne, J. P. (2020). Gilles Deleuze: Contribution aux sciences de l-organisation. In O. Germain (Ed.), Les grands inspirateurs de la théorie des organisations. Paris, France: Management & Societe.
Vergne, J. -. P., & Durand, R. (2010). The Missing Link Between the Theory and Empirics of Path Dependence: Conceptual Clarification, Testability Issue, and Methodological Implications. JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES, 47 (4), 736-759. doi:10.1111/j.1467-6486.2010.00913.x [link]
Last updated Saturday, 9 October 2021

Author

Research groups

Strategy & Entrepreneurship

Research areas

Organization theory; Strategic management

Research topics

Adaptation; Bounded rationality; Complex systems; Dynamic capabilities; Research methods