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PublicationA Test of the Viable System Model: Theoretical Claim vs. Empirical Evidence(Taylor & Francis, 2016)The Viable System Model by Stafford Beer embodies a theory about the preconditions of organizational viability. This theory has been discussed extensively by the academics and professionals of organizational cybernetics. The theoretical claim of the Viable System Model (VSM) is bold. It asserts to specify the necessary and sufficient preconditions for the viability of any organization. The empirical evidence, to date, amounts to a substantial corpus of case studies from applications that support the claim of the theory. The present contribution leads beyond the status quo. Its purpose is to test the theory empirically, on the grounds of a broad survey and pertinent quantitative analysis. The available data support the hypotheses and therewith corroborate the theory of the VSM. This implies that the VSM is a reliable orientation device for the diagnosis and design of organizations to strengthen their vitality, resilience, and development potential.Type:Journal:Volume:Issue:
Scopus© Citations 31 -
PublicationChief Strategy Officers: Contingency Analysis of Their Presence in Top Management Teams(Wiley, 2014-03)Drawing upon contingency theory, we analyze the antecedents and performance consequences of chief strategy officer (CSO) presence in top management teams (TMTs). We argue that strategic and structural complexity affects the decision to have a CSO in the TMT and its effect on firm performance. The results of a sample of S&P 500 firms over a five-year period reveal that diversification, acquisition activity, and TMT role interdependence are positively associated with CSO presence. However, we also find that the structural choice to have a CSO in the TMT does not significantly affect a firm's financial performance. This first systematic analysis of CSO presence informs research on CSOs and contributes to the emerging literature on TMT structure.
Scopus© Citations 80 -
PublicationSuccession processes in family firms: A new temporal perspective( 2024)
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PublicationExploring the Impact of Founder Social Identities on Sustainable Business Model Design( 2024)Designing sustainable business models gains increasing importance. Particularly in young firms, the founder’s social identity plays a pivotal role in shaping the creation of new ventures. Yet, founders with diverse social identities often pursue distinct goals, and there is limited understanding of how this divergence influences the design of sustainable business models. Drawing on two different founder social identities — Darwinian and Missionary founders —, we argue that founder social identities differently shape the sustainability of the business model design. In addition, we propose that entrepreneurial orientation mediates the relationship between the founder’s social identities and sustainable business model design. We collected survey data from 195 solo founders in Austria, Germany, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland to test our research model. In support of our predictions, we find that Darwinian founders are negatively, and Missionary founders are positively related to sustainable business model design. We also show that entrepreneurial orientation partially mediates the link between Missionary founders and sustainable business model design, but not for Darwinian founders. Theoretical and practical insights on how founder social identities and entrepreneurial orientation can be leveraged to support sustainable business model designs are then discussed.
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PublicationOwnership matters! The benefits of appointing the predecessor CEO as board chair in family firm( 2023)
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PublicationDoes the Business Model Design Reflect the Founder Identity? An Empirical Investigation( 2023-05)Social identities shape founders’ social motivation, self-evaluation, and frame of reference. However, little is known about how founder social identities shape new ventures’ business model designs. This study addresses this gap by arguing and empirically testing how and why founders with different social identities systematically design different business models. Specifically, we argue that Darwinian founders design efficiency-oriented business models, Communitarians design consumer-oriented business models, and Missionaries design sustainable-oriented business models. We also establish important boundary conditions of these relationships, particularly the core founder. We will test our predictions in a sample of 1‘019 new ventures from the German-speaking part of Europe. We contribute by establishing founder social identity as an important antecedent of business model designs and by linking founder social identities to firm strategy.
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PublicationSuccession processes in family firms: A new perspective( 2023)
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PublicationMake It Or Break It? Founder Social Identity, EO, And New Ventures' Financial Performance( 2022-08)
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PublicationMake it or break it? Founder social identity, EO, and new ventures' financial performance( 2022-08)
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PublicationEstate taxes and business transfers across the globe: A configurational analysis( 2020-08)
