Scott D. Julian

Dynamism, Capital Structure, and Performance in a Sub-Saharan Economy: Extending the Institutional Difference Hypothesis

Extant research examining the capital structure–performance relationship has been undertaken primarily in developed economies. These studies integrate agency theory considerations with the contingency perspective and suggest a positive interaction between sector dynamism, equity, and performance. Our study extends this research stream by examining the capital structure–performance link in a sub-Saharan economy, an underresearched but economically emerging region. Using logic undergirding a substantial stream of institutional theory-based studies that we term the institutional difference hypothesis , we argue that the implications of the capital structure–performance relationship are contingent on the extent of national-level institutional underdevelopment. Taking into account institutional differences between developed economies and those in the sub-Saharan region, we hypothesize a negative interaction between sector dynamism, equity, and firm performance in sub-Sahara. Using longitudinal data from Ghanaian corporations for 1996–1999, we find substantial support for our hypothesis. Contrary to findings from developed economies, sector dynamism negatively moderates the firm equity–performance relationship: a strongly positive effect of equity on performance in stable sectors becomes slightly negative in highly dynamic ones. We unpack the implications of these results for theory and research.

From Thought to Theory to School: The Role of Contextual Factors in the Evolution of Schools of Management Thought

The process by which theories form into schools of thought has been the focus of much scholarly attention, but the current model of McKinley et al. (1999) focuses primarily on theory content attributes. In this paper, we introduce theory context attributes that also influence the school formation process. Specifically, we suggest that factors such as the quality of the publication outlet, the reputation of the theory originator and the reputation of the theory originator’s university will all influence the likelihood of a theory being detected and assimilated and, consequently, evolving into a school of thought. We further highlight the effects of different combinations of theory and context attributes on the probability of a theory developing into a theory school. We suggest that theories with high content and high context attributes are more likely to evolve into a school of thought than theories with low content or low context attributes. Finally, we discuss future research implications.

Conceptualizing social science paradoxes using the diversity and similarity curves model: Illustrations from the work/play and theory novelty/continuity paradoxes

A major challenge that social science researchers face is the development of a framework that conceptualizes paradoxical concepts across different social science disciplines. We propose that researchers use the logic of the diversity and similarity curves (DSC) model to meet this need by conceptualizing the tension, reinforcing cycles, and paradox management elements of Lewis (Academy of Management Review, 2000, 25, 760-76). We further make a contribution to the paradox literature by highlighting and representing the interwoven nature of dual tensions that exist within paradoxical phenomena. We use the DSC model to capture the interactive effects of dual paradoxes associated with work/play and job stress/task creativity. The DSC model also allows us to represent the interactive effects of different permutations of theory novelty/continuity on perceived theory complexity and theory assimilation. Finally, we discuss the implications of this article for theory and research on paradox conceptualization.

Toward Diversity and Similarity Curves: Implications for Theory, Research and Practice

Curvilinear models have been proposed to reflect the simultaneous consideration of both differences and similarities. We build on these models and propose a heuristic model of diversity and similarity curves based on supply and demand curves from economics. We use the curves to graphically show how changes in demographic differences (diversity) and value congruence (similarity) can affect the extent of competition/cooperation, which will subsequently affect the extent of creativity in an organization. We capture this graphically by flattening or steepening the slopes of the diversity and similarity curves. We conclude by discussing the advantages of using diversity and similarity curves and explore the implications for theory, research, and practice.

A heuristic model for explaining diversity's paradox

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present a heuristic model to better understand the inherently paradoxical and concomitant positive and negative organizational outcomes associated with demographic diversity and value congruence in organizations. It further illustrates the resultant organizational dynamics that result from shifting levels of diversity and value congruence. Design/methodology/approach – This paper adopts the supply and demand heuristic from the economics discipline and further develops the diversity and similarity curves (DSC) model proposed by Ofori-Dankwa and Julian. Further, this analysis is carried out from both short-run (static) and long-run (dynamic) perspectives. Findings – This study illustrates how different levels of organizational diversity and value congruence (reflected by diversity and similarity curves respectively) could concurrently result in both positive and negative levels of organizational creativity and competitiveness. Research limitations/implications – As ...

Cognitive Antecedents of Highlighting and Decoupling in Response to Social Pressure

Firms can engage social pressures in a variety of substantive and symbolic ways, such as highlighting (pursuing both substantive and symbolic activities) and decoupling (pursuing only symbolic appearance while avoiding substantive action). To better understand such responses to social pressures, we offer an integrative institutional-cognitive model suggesting that publicly traded status, certainty regarding the social pressure itself and perceived threats in the firm’s issue array predict firms’ highlighting and decoupling. We test these ideas using data on how restaurants responded to a major nutritional pressure campaign. Our findings suggest that when firms face social pressures, managers’ perception regarding issue certainty and perceived threats in the firm’s issue array positively affects a highlighting response. Furthermore, both the managerial accountability associated with publicly traded status and issue array threats negatively affects response decoupling. Taken together, these results suggest that cognitive elements are the more consistent drivers of response to social pressures, and we discuss these findings in light of their theoretical relevance and suggest future directions for research.

THE EFFECT OF ACCREDITATION ON BUSINESS SCHOOLS: A CONTINGENCY MODEL.

Increasing turbulence in the environment of business schools may require a profound rethinking of assumptions and presumptions underlying the accreditation process. We posit that in the continuous ...