The Evolution of Collective Strategy Frames in High- and Low-Velocity Industries

Abstract

We argue that the collective assumptions of firms drive their actions and practices, and create the conditions of industry velocity. In our view, cognitive construction by firms is the primary driver of industry velocity. This is in contrast to the contingency views common in the literature, which hold that industry velocity plays a role by constraining and shaping firm strategies. Specifically, we suggest that firms develop unique assumptions, social networks, and feedback mechanisms; that these mechanisms perpetuate patterns of changes in collective beliefs and aggregate actions; and that these patterns in turn shape high- and low-velocity conditions. We examine these assertions by tracing the collective beliefs of three aircraft (low-velocity) and semiconductor (high-velocity) firms over a 20-year period (1977–1997). Our results suggest that the cognitive construction view of industry velocity is reasonable.

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