Second-order imitation :
By: WESTPHAL, James D
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Contributor(s): SEIDEL, Marc-David L | STEWART, Katherine J.
Material type: 
ArticlePublisher: Ithaca : Johnson Graduate School of Management, December 2001Administrative Science Quarterly 46, 4, p. 717-747Abstract: This study examines whether board interlock ties facilitate second-order imitation, in which firms imitate an underlying decision process that can be adapted to multiple policy domains, rather than imitating specific policies of tied-to firms (first-order imitation). Longitudinal analyses of archival data for a large sample of Forbes/Fortune 500 companies, as well as analyses of survey data on mimetic processes among these firms, show that network ties to firms that use imitation to determine a particular policy can prompt use of imitation by the focal firm in determining both that policy and a different policy. Firms that have board network ties to firms in other industries that imitate their own competitor`s business strategy, as well as their competitor`s acquisition activity and compensation policy. Thus, the findings reveal network effects that are not visible with extant perspectives on inteorganizational imitation. We discuss implications for institutional theory and research on inteorganizational networks
| Item type | Current location | Collection | Call number | Status | Date due | Barcode |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Periódico | Biblioteca Graciliano Ramos | Periódico | Not for loan |
This study examines whether board interlock ties facilitate second-order imitation, in which firms imitate an underlying decision process that can be adapted to multiple policy domains, rather than imitating specific policies of tied-to firms (first-order imitation). Longitudinal analyses of archival data for a large sample of Forbes/Fortune 500 companies, as well as analyses of survey data on mimetic processes among these firms, show that network ties to firms that use imitation to determine a particular policy can prompt use of imitation by the focal firm in determining both that policy and a different policy. Firms that have board network ties to firms in other industries that imitate their own competitor`s business strategy, as well as their competitor`s acquisition activity and compensation policy. Thus, the findings reveal network effects that are not visible with extant perspectives on inteorganizational imitation. We discuss implications for institutional theory and research on inteorganizational networks
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