In search of an integrated framework of business longevity

Abstract

Even if the domain of business longevity has been enriched by the multidisciplinary nature of approaches used to investigate the phenomenon, the lack of a unifying perspective has impeded systematic research and caused definitional ambiguity. The main aim of this special issue is to extend existing knowledge on business longevity by integrating theoretical and empirical studies that adopt different approaches and perspectives. This is essential in order to identify the key factors of long-term success and the effects of longevity on firm performance. The multifaceted nature of business longevity research is mirrored in the five articles included in this special issue, that offer different and interesting perspectives for the investigation of the domain.

Keywords::

• search
• integrated framework
• business
• longevity

Notes

1. Hogarth, Michaud, Doz, and van der Heyden, Longevity, 18.

2. For example Chandler, Scale and Scope, 594; Cassis, Big Business, 103; Colli, Iverson, and de Jong, “Mapping Strategy,” 4; Fridenson, “Business Failure,” 565.

3. Stadler, Enduring Success, 12.

4. Hogarth et al., Longevity, 1–2.

5. Drucker, Adventures.

6. Fama and Jensen, “Agency,” 345; Alchian, “Uncertainty,” 211–221.

7. Fridenson, “Business Failure,” 563.

8. Schrör, Business Demography, 4.

9. Hutcheson, “The End.”

10. Hannah, “Marshall's ‘Trees’,” 260.

11. de Geus, The Living Company, 1.

12. Cassis, Big Business, 104.

13. Iwasaki and Kanda, “Sustainability,” 2 (159).

14. Stadler, Enduring Success, 7–9; The Economist, “The Business.”

15. Owens, “Inheritance,” 22; Fernández Perez and Colli, The Endurance, passim.

16. See especially Colli, Howorth, and Rose “Long-term,” 841–854; Church, “The Family Firm,” 17–43; Miller and Breton-Miller, Managing, passim.

17. Stadler, Enduring Success, 3–5.

18. Hannah, “Marshall's ‘Trees’,” 261, 274; Stadler, Enduring Success, 5.

19. Hannah, “Marshall's ‘Trees;,” 261.

20. Napolitano, Marion, Riviezzo, and Garofano “Moving Forward,” 16–18.

21. de Geus, The Living Company, 1.

22. McCraw, Prophet, 6.

23. Cassis, Big Business, 103.

24. Hofer, and Mauriello and Schendel, La formulazione, passim.

25. Four books are especially fruitful from this respect, all also targeted at a general audience, namely: Stadler, Enduring Success; Collin and Porras, Built to Last; Miller and Breton-Miller, Managing, passim; and de Geus, The Living Company.

26. Wernerfelt, “A Resource-based View,” 171–180; Barney, “Firm Resources,” 99–120; Conner, “A Historical Comparison,” 121–154; Penrose, The Theory, passim; Locket and Wild, “Bringing History,” 372–390.

27. On dynamic capabilities see especially: Makadok, “Toward,” 387–401; Teece, Dynamic Capabilities, passim; Teece, Pisano, and Shuen, “Dynamic,” 509–533.

28. March, “Exploration and Exploitation,” 71–87; O'Reilly and Tushman, “Ambidexterity,” 185–206; Hogarth et al., Longevity, passim.

29. Napolitano et al., “Moving Forward,” 21–22.

30. Levitt and March, “Organizational Learning,” 319–340; Hogarth et al., Longevity, 25.

31. van Rooij, “Sisyphus,” 15.

32. Collins and Porras, Built to Last, passim.

33. de Geus, The Living Company, 7, 176.

34. Stadler, “The Four Principles,” 62.

35. Herbane, “The Evolution,” 978–1002

36. Hannan and Freeman, “The Population,” 929–964; and “Structural Inertia,” 149–164.

37. Nelson and Winter, An Evolutionary Theory, passim.

38. Agarwal, Sarkar and Echambadi, “The Conditioning Effect,” 971–994; Murmann, Knowledge, passim; Klepper, “Firm Survival,” 37–61.

39. For example: Tenold, Iverson, and LongeGlobal Shipping, passim; Järvinen, Lamberg, Murmann, and Ojala, “Alternative Paths,” 545–0574; Lamberg, Ojala, Peltoniemi, and SärkäThe Evolution passim; Lamberg, Näsi, Ojala, Sajasalo, Evolution of Competitive, passim.

40. Mata and Portugal, “Life Duration,” 227–245; Swaminathan, “Time-varying,” 845–887; Gerosk, Mata, and Portugal, “Founding Conditions,” 510–529.

41. Brixy and Grotz, “Regional Patterns,” 293–312; Ojala, Voutilainen, and Lamberg The “Evolution,” 345–363.

42. Agarwal and Gort, “The Evolution,” 489–498; Baldwin and Gorecki, “Firm Entry,” 300–323; Klepper and Miller, “Entry,” 567–591; Klepper, “Industry Life Cycles,” 145–181; Baptista and Karaöz, “Turbulence,” 249–270.

43. See however Ojala et al, “The Evolution,” 349–352.

44. See especially Porter, Competitive Advantage, passim.

45. Ibrahim and Ribbers, “The Impacts,” 223–234; Fernández Perez and Colli, The Endurance, passim.

46. Owens, “Inheritance,” 41; Stamm and Lubinski, “Crossroads,” 117–127; Casson “The Economics,” 10–23; Rose, “Beyond Buddenbrooks,” 127–143 – Overview on recent business history research on family firms in Colli et al., “Long-Term,” 841–854.

47. Colli and Larsson, “Family Business,” 41; Colli, “Contextualizing Performances,” 243–257.

48. Chua, Chrisman, and Sharma, “Defining,” 25; Kreiser et al., “Why Organisation Theory,” 101.

49. Stamm and Lubinski, “Crossroads,” 117–127; Rose, “Beyond Buddenbrooks,” 128–129.

50. Donaldson and Davis, “Stewardship Theory,” 49–64.

51. Corbetta and Salvato, “Self-serving,” 355–362; Miller and Breton-Miller, Managing, passim; Nordqvist, “Familiness,” 285–292; Gómez-Mejía, Takács Haynes, Núnez-Nickel, Jacobson, and Moyano-Fuentes, “Socioemotional,” 106–137; Colli, The History, passim.

52. Colli et al. “Long-Term,” 844.

53. Allio, “Family,” 24–33; Chrisman, Chua, and Litz,“Comparing,” 335–354; Zahra, “Entrepreneurial,” 23–40.

54. Chandler, Scale and Scope, passim; Owens, “Inheritance,” 21–22; Colli et al., “Long-term,” 842–843; Ojala, Lamberg, and Melander, “Competitive Behaviour,” 118–120; Nicholas, “Clogs to Clogs,” 688–713.

55. Van Praag, “Business Survival,” 1–17; Casson, “Entrepreneurship,” 30–54.

56. Kellermanns and Eddleston, “Corporate Entrepreneurship,” 809–830; see also Kreiser, Ojala, Lamberg, and Melander, “A Historical,” 100–114.

57. Business historical analysis in: Ojala et al., “Competitive Behaviour,” 118–137; see also Le Breton-Miller, Le, and Miller “Why Do Some,” 731–746; Eddleston, Chrisman, Steier, and Chua, “Governance and Trust,” 1043–1056; Lumpkin and Brigham, “Long-term,” 1149–1169.

58. Le Breton-Miller and Miller, “Why Do Some,” 731–746.

59. March, “Exploration and Exploitation,” 71–87; O'Reilly and Tushman, “Ambidexterity,” 185–206.

60. Napolitano et al., “Moving Forward,” 19–21.

61. Burgelman and Grove, “Let Chaos Reign,” 965–979.

62. Fridenson, “Business Failure,” 562–582.

63. Kieser, “Why Organisation Theory,” 608–620; Rowlinson, “Business History,” 1–23; Üsdiken and Kieser, “Introduction,” 321–330; Clark and Rowlinson, “The Treatment,” 331–352; Kipping and Üsdiken, “Business History,” 96–119.

64. Teece et al., “Dynamic,” 509–533.

65. Kay, ”Sometimes”; Levitt, “Marketing Myopia,” 24–47.

66. Freeman et al., “Stakeholder Theory,” 364–369.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Maria Rosaria Napolitano

Maria Rosaria Napolitano is Full Professor of Marketing and Strategy at the Department of Law, Economics, Management and Quantitative Methods of University of Sannio, Italy. Her research interests cover several areas of strategic management and marketing, including M&A, entrepreneurship and territorial marketing.

Vittoria Marino

Vittoria Marino is Associate Professor of International Marketing at the Department of Management and Information Technology of University of Salerno, Italy. Her research interests focus on international marketing strategies and country brand management, business longevity and women entrepreneurship.

Jari Ojala

Jari Ojala is Professor of Comparative Business History at the Department of History and Ethnology of University of Jyvaskyla, Finland. He is specialized in economic, maritime and business history.