My research primarily examines how socially contested organizations affect the birth and renewal of industries operating at the vanguard of capitalist economies.
The terms decentralized organization and distributed organization are often used interchangeably,... more The terms decentralized organization and distributed organization are often used interchangeably, despite describing two distinct phenomena. I propose distinguishing decentralization, as the dispersion of organizational communications, from distribution, as the dispersion of organizational decision-making. Organizations can be distributed without being decentralized (and vice versa), and having multiple management layers directly affects only distribution – not decentralization. This proposed distinction has implications for understanding the growth of digital platforms (e.g. amazon.com), which dominate the global economy in the 21st century. While prominent platforms typically use machine learning as their core technology to transform inputs (e.g. data) into outputs (e.g. matchmaking services), blockchain has emerged as an alternative technological blueprint. I argue that blockchain enables platforms that are both decentralized and distributed (e.g. Bitcoin), whereas machine learning fosters centralized communications and the concentration of decision-making (e.g. Facebook Inc.). This distinction has crucial implications for antitrust policy, which, I contend, should shift both its analysis and its target of action away from the corporate level and focus instead on the data level. Based on this essay’s framework, I make several predictions regarding the future of competition between centralized and decentralized platforms, the evolution of government regulation, and broader implications for managers in the digital economy and for the business schools charged with their education. I conclude with reflections on the opportunity to revive cybernetic thinking for preventing a dystopian future dominated by a handful of platform behemoths.
Organizational adaptation is equivocal. On the one hand, the concept is ubiquitous in management ... more Organizational adaptation is equivocal. On the one hand, the concept is ubiquitous in management research and acts as the glue binding together the central issues of organizational change, performance, and survival. On the other hand, it lurks around in various guises (e.g., "fit," "alignment," "congruence," and "strategic change") studied from multiple theoretical streams (e.g., behavioral, resource based, and institutional) and at different levels of analysis (e.g., organization and industry levels). In a novel approach to reviewing 443 adaptation articles that leverages both computational and hand-coded analysis, we produce an interactive visual of the themes most studied by adaptation scholars. We inductively draw out a definition of adaptation as intentional decision making undertaken by organizational members, leading to observable actions that aim to reduce the distance between an organization and its economic and institutional environments. We then review the literature across three main areas of inquiry and six theoretical perspectives that surfaced from our analysis and identify 11 difficulties that have hampered adaptation research in the past 50 years. Our review suggests ways to address these difficulties to enable future research to develop and cumulate. Acknowledgments: We are thankful to editor Jorge Walter and the two anonymous reviewers for their invaluable feedback and guidance during the review process. This work was supported by an SSHRC grant (No. 430-2015-0670) and the Scotiabank Digital Banking Lab at Ivey Business School.
Bitcoin represents the first real-world implementation of a "decentralized autonomous organizatio... more Bitcoin represents the first real-world implementation of a "decentralized autonomous organization" (DAO) and offers a new paradigm for organization design. Imagine working for a global business organization whose routine tasks are powered by a software protocol instead of being governed by managers and employees. Task assignments and rewards are randomized by the algorithm. Information is not channeled through a hierarchy but recorded transparently and securely on an immutable public ledger called "blockchain." Further, the organization decides on design and strategy changes through a democratic voting process involving a previously unseen class of stakeholders called "miners." Agreements need to be reached at the organizational level for any proposed protocol changes to be approved and activated. How do DAOs solve the universal problem of organizing with such novel solutions? What are the implications? We use Bitcoin as an example to shed light on how a DAO works in the cryptocurrency industry, where it provides a peer-to-peer, decentralized, and disintermediated payment system that can compete against traditional financial institutions. We also invited commentaries from renowned organization scholars to share their views on this intriguing phenomenon.
We draw on the signaling and infomediary literatures to examine how media evaluations of CEO over... more We draw on the signaling and infomediary literatures to examine how media evaluations of CEO overcompensation (a negative cue associated with selfishness and greed) are affected by the presence of corporate philanthropy (a positive cue associated with altruism and generosity). In line with our theory on signal incongruence, we find that firms engaged in philanthropy receive more media disapproval when they overcompensate their CEO, but they are also more likely to decrease CEO overcompensation as a response. Our study contributes to the signaling literature by theorizing about signal incongruence, and to infomediary and corporate governance research by showing that media disapproval can lead to lower executive compensation. We also reconcile two conflicting views on firm prosocial behavior by showing that, in the presence of incongruent cues, philanthropy can simultaneously enhance and damage media evaluations of firms and CEOs. Taken together, these findings shed new light on the media as agents of external corporate governance for firms and open new avenues for research on executive compensation.
Bitcoin is difficult to categorize, and indeed has been associated with 112 different labels in t... more Bitcoin is difficult to categorize, and indeed has been associated with 112 different labels in the British media (e.g., “private money”, “commodity”)—most of which poorly describe bitcoin. Specifically, our analyses of 674 media articles, focusing on the relationship between labeling and categorization, identify classification inconsistencies at three levels: within clusters of labels, between labels and categories, and between label attributes. These inconsistencies hamper categorization based on attribute similarity, audience goals, and causal models (respectively). We identify four factors that nurture this categorical anarchy and conclude with a call for research on the socioeconomic revolution heralded by blockchain technology.
ABSTRACT The article reviews the book "The Hidden Dynamics of Path Dependence: Instituti... more ABSTRACT The article reviews the book "The Hidden Dynamics of Path Dependence: Institutions and Organizations," edited by Georg Schreyögg and Jörg Sydow.
How do firms adapt? In recent years, this old question has been given new answers—albeit partial ... more How do firms adapt? In recent years, this old question has been given new answers—albeit partial ones. On the one hand, cognition scholars have emphasized managerial attention to environmental change as a key driver of adaptation. On the other hand, dynamic capabilities scholars have underscored the role of asset reconfigurations implemented amidst shifting environments. However, the explanatory powers of the two perspectives have not yet been assessed comparatively. We use fuzzy-set analyses of U.S. defense firms’ responses to 9/11 to model the two perspectives as potentially competing or complementary, but our findings suggest that neither dynamic capabilities nor superior cognition must be present for firms to adapt. Instead, we identify four types of adapters (anticipative, responsive, opportunistic, and decisive), as well as the possibility of strategic non-adaptation. These results lead us to reassess the cognition and capabilities literatures and to outline a new, integrative framework to explain adaptation.
In stigmatized industries characterized by social contestation, hostile audiences, and distancing... more In stigmatized industries characterized by social contestation, hostile audiences, and distancing between industry insiders and outsiders, firms facing media attacks follow different strategies from firms in uncontested industries. Because firms avoid publicizing their tainted-sector membership, when threatened, they can respond by divesting assets from that industry. Our analyses of the arms industry demonstrate that media attacks on the focal firm and its peers both increase the likelihood of divestment for the focal firm. Specifically, attacks on the focal firm are the most consequential, followed by attacks on peers in the same industry subcategory, and by attacks on peers in different subcategories. These findings shed new light on divestment as a response to media attacks in stigmatized industries and lead us to rethink impression management theory.
This paper offers a systematic review of the literature on organizational categories and categori... more This paper offers a systematic review of the literature on organizational categories and categorization published in the last fourteen years (1999-2012). After identifying a core of roughly 100 papers on categories that appeared in management, organization, and sociology journals, we classified them based on several key dimensions, and analyzed a few trends within the categorization literature. Our most surprising finding may be the fact that until recently, there was no mutual recognition of the existence of a distinct ‘a literature on categories’ despite the wealth of published material on the topic. After summarizing some core theoretical features of that emergent literature, we suggest several areas of research that could further enrich it in the future.
Using qualitative and quantitative methods, the paper draws on the categorization and stigmatizat... more Using qualitative and quantitative methods, the paper draws on the categorization and stigmatization literatures to predict the amount of negative social evaluations received by firms, i.e. disapproval. Association with a stigmatized category does not automatically result in disapproval, because straddling multiple categories dilutes stakeholder attention from the stigma. Findings highlight how managers can modify categorical associations at the industry and customer levels to decrease disapproval, and I discuss implications for diversification and internationalization strategies. Results also show that 9/11 modified the saliency of the categories used by arms industry stakeholders. Finally, the paper suggests that stigmatized industries manage to thrive in the long run despite stigmatization thanks to their members’ category straddling behavior, which makes social evaluations more neutral (less negative).
Measures of organizational legitimacy fall in three categories, based, respectively, on the obser... more Measures of organizational legitimacy fall in three categories, based, respectively, on the observation of code adoption, firm linkages, and media coverage. Such variety reflects the absence of consensus definitions. Because legitimacy involves perceptions of social congruence, the author argues in favor of a perceptual measure based on media content analysis. The author extends existing media-based indicators by offering a multidimensional measure of legitimacy, the raw legitimacy vector (RLV), which accounts for the heterogeneity of perceptions across space and time. The article details a three-step methodology to compute RLV and illustrates its applicability using data on the global defense industry. The author finds strong support for RLV’s factorial, convergent, discriminant, and criterion-related validity and demonstrates that RLV performs better than alternative measures. The paper contributes to research by identifying four stable dimensions of legitimacy (environment, competition, accountability, and transactions), by distinguishing empirically legitimacy and reputation, and by offering a measure suited for international comparison in both legitimate and contested industries.
This paper extends the dynamic capability view and research on organizational path dependence by ... more This paper extends the dynamic capability view and research on organizational path dependence by arguing that path dependence can be a property of capabilities when a contingently-triggered capability path is subject to self-reinforcement (i.e. a set of positive and negative mechanisms that increases the attractiveness of a path relative to others). The paper introduces an evolutionary perspective, which specifies the underlying selection mechanisms of the property of path dependence in internal and external firm environments. This theorization sheds new light on three paradoxes that currently blur the theoretical contribution of path dependence to research at the managerial, organizational, and industry levels: (1) the problematic coexistence of path irreversibility and managerial intentionality; (2) the ambivalent strategic value of lock-in with regard to competitive advantage; and (3) the relative homogeneity in observed dynamic capabilities, despite their (possible) path dependence that should lead to a wider variety of outcomes owing to the presence of contingency. We highlight the contributions of this perspective to strategic management research and evolutionary theories.
"Path dependence is a central construct in organizational research, used to describe a mechanism ... more "Path dependence is a central construct in organizational research, used to describe a mechanism that connects the past and the future in an abstract way. However, across institutional, technology, and strategy literatures, it remains unclear why path dependence sometimes occurs and sometimes not, why it sometimes lead to inefficient outcomes and sometimes not, how it differs from mere increasing returns, and how scholars can empirically support their claims on path dependence. Hence, path dependence is not yet a theory since it does not causally relate identified variables in a systematized manner. Instead, the existing literature tends to conflate path dependence as a process (i.e. history unfolding in a self-reinforcing manner) and as an outcome (i.e. a persisting state of the world with specific properties, called ‘lock-in’). This paper contributes theoretically and methodologically to tackling these issues by: (1) providing a formal definition of path dependence that disentangles process and outcome, and identifies the necessary conditions for path dependence; (2) distinguishing clearly between path dependence and other ‘history matters’ kinds of mechanisms; and (3) specifying the missing link between theoretical and empirical path dependence. In particular, we suggest moving away from historical case studies of supposedly path-dependent processes to focus on more controlled research designs such as simulations, experiments, and counter-factual investigation.
"Whether path dependence 'exists' or not remains an unresolved question - but it is also a misfor... more "Whether path dependence 'exists' or not remains an unresolved question - but it is also a misformulated one. The paper demonstrates that the key issue is methodological, not ontological, and that management and organization scholars have been using inadequate research designs in the past to capture path dependence. The paper draws on recent research to explain why the QWERTY case does not provide evidence for path dependence, and provides clear methodological guidelines regarding which methods should be used in the future to fruitfully explore path dependence in the social sciences. Overall, the paper offers an alternative to both the 'sceptics' who claim that path dependence is a myth and the 'believers' who highlight the huge implications of path dependence, but fail to provide convincing evidence that it actually exists as a distinctive process leading to lock-in.
This book can be read as a brief history of capitalism from 1492 until the present day or, altern... more This book can be read as a brief history of capitalism from 1492 until the present day or, alternatively, as a brief history of piracy.
Piracy is conceived of as an organized form of action that constantly questions and reshapes the boundaries of state sovereignty. When states conquer new territories, such as the high seas in the 17th century or cyberspace today, pirate organizations are always around to contest the state-imposed rules of exchange and to propose alternative norms.
REVIEWS
“…this is a stimulating book filled with new ideas. Philosophically minded land- lubbers will enjoy it just as much as barnacle-backs.” — The Economist
“All this economic theory is paired with engaging analysis of the history and golden ages of piracy.” — The Financial Times
“An interesting and thought-provoking read. The book debunks popular myths about piracy being random and suggests instead that it is predictable, cannot be separated from capitalism and will be the source of capitalism’s continuing evolution.” — The Irish Times
“Rather than try to stamp out piracy, entrepreneurs and businesses should watch how pirates behave in order to stay successful.” — Telegraph.co.uk
“This is an important book that adds to our understanding of the transition between different phases of capitalism...We recommend it.” — Compass, the magazine of the Association of Professional Futurists
The terms decentralized organization and distributed organization are often used interchangeably,... more The terms decentralized organization and distributed organization are often used interchangeably, despite describing two distinct phenomena. I propose distinguishing decentralization, as the dispersion of organizational communications, from distribution, as the dispersion of organizational decision-making. Organizations can be distributed without being decentralized (and vice versa), and having multiple management layers directly affects only distribution – not decentralization. This proposed distinction has implications for understanding the growth of digital platforms (e.g. amazon.com), which dominate the global economy in the 21st century. While prominent platforms typically use machine learning as their core technology to transform inputs (e.g. data) into outputs (e.g. matchmaking services), blockchain has emerged as an alternative technological blueprint. I argue that blockchain enables platforms that are both decentralized and distributed (e.g. Bitcoin), whereas machine learning fosters centralized communications and the concentration of decision-making (e.g. Facebook Inc.). This distinction has crucial implications for antitrust policy, which, I contend, should shift both its analysis and its target of action away from the corporate level and focus instead on the data level. Based on this essay’s framework, I make several predictions regarding the future of competition between centralized and decentralized platforms, the evolution of government regulation, and broader implications for managers in the digital economy and for the business schools charged with their education. I conclude with reflections on the opportunity to revive cybernetic thinking for preventing a dystopian future dominated by a handful of platform behemoths.
Organizational adaptation is equivocal. On the one hand, the concept is ubiquitous in management ... more Organizational adaptation is equivocal. On the one hand, the concept is ubiquitous in management research and acts as the glue binding together the central issues of organizational change, performance, and survival. On the other hand, it lurks around in various guises (e.g., "fit," "alignment," "congruence," and "strategic change") studied from multiple theoretical streams (e.g., behavioral, resource based, and institutional) and at different levels of analysis (e.g., organization and industry levels). In a novel approach to reviewing 443 adaptation articles that leverages both computational and hand-coded analysis, we produce an interactive visual of the themes most studied by adaptation scholars. We inductively draw out a definition of adaptation as intentional decision making undertaken by organizational members, leading to observable actions that aim to reduce the distance between an organization and its economic and institutional environments. We then review the literature across three main areas of inquiry and six theoretical perspectives that surfaced from our analysis and identify 11 difficulties that have hampered adaptation research in the past 50 years. Our review suggests ways to address these difficulties to enable future research to develop and cumulate. Acknowledgments: We are thankful to editor Jorge Walter and the two anonymous reviewers for their invaluable feedback and guidance during the review process. This work was supported by an SSHRC grant (No. 430-2015-0670) and the Scotiabank Digital Banking Lab at Ivey Business School.
Bitcoin represents the first real-world implementation of a "decentralized autonomous organizatio... more Bitcoin represents the first real-world implementation of a "decentralized autonomous organization" (DAO) and offers a new paradigm for organization design. Imagine working for a global business organization whose routine tasks are powered by a software protocol instead of being governed by managers and employees. Task assignments and rewards are randomized by the algorithm. Information is not channeled through a hierarchy but recorded transparently and securely on an immutable public ledger called "blockchain." Further, the organization decides on design and strategy changes through a democratic voting process involving a previously unseen class of stakeholders called "miners." Agreements need to be reached at the organizational level for any proposed protocol changes to be approved and activated. How do DAOs solve the universal problem of organizing with such novel solutions? What are the implications? We use Bitcoin as an example to shed light on how a DAO works in the cryptocurrency industry, where it provides a peer-to-peer, decentralized, and disintermediated payment system that can compete against traditional financial institutions. We also invited commentaries from renowned organization scholars to share their views on this intriguing phenomenon.
We draw on the signaling and infomediary literatures to examine how media evaluations of CEO over... more We draw on the signaling and infomediary literatures to examine how media evaluations of CEO overcompensation (a negative cue associated with selfishness and greed) are affected by the presence of corporate philanthropy (a positive cue associated with altruism and generosity). In line with our theory on signal incongruence, we find that firms engaged in philanthropy receive more media disapproval when they overcompensate their CEO, but they are also more likely to decrease CEO overcompensation as a response. Our study contributes to the signaling literature by theorizing about signal incongruence, and to infomediary and corporate governance research by showing that media disapproval can lead to lower executive compensation. We also reconcile two conflicting views on firm prosocial behavior by showing that, in the presence of incongruent cues, philanthropy can simultaneously enhance and damage media evaluations of firms and CEOs. Taken together, these findings shed new light on the media as agents of external corporate governance for firms and open new avenues for research on executive compensation.
Bitcoin is difficult to categorize, and indeed has been associated with 112 different labels in t... more Bitcoin is difficult to categorize, and indeed has been associated with 112 different labels in the British media (e.g., “private money”, “commodity”)—most of which poorly describe bitcoin. Specifically, our analyses of 674 media articles, focusing on the relationship between labeling and categorization, identify classification inconsistencies at three levels: within clusters of labels, between labels and categories, and between label attributes. These inconsistencies hamper categorization based on attribute similarity, audience goals, and causal models (respectively). We identify four factors that nurture this categorical anarchy and conclude with a call for research on the socioeconomic revolution heralded by blockchain technology.
ABSTRACT The article reviews the book "The Hidden Dynamics of Path Dependence: Instituti... more ABSTRACT The article reviews the book "The Hidden Dynamics of Path Dependence: Institutions and Organizations," edited by Georg Schreyögg and Jörg Sydow.
How do firms adapt? In recent years, this old question has been given new answers—albeit partial ... more How do firms adapt? In recent years, this old question has been given new answers—albeit partial ones. On the one hand, cognition scholars have emphasized managerial attention to environmental change as a key driver of adaptation. On the other hand, dynamic capabilities scholars have underscored the role of asset reconfigurations implemented amidst shifting environments. However, the explanatory powers of the two perspectives have not yet been assessed comparatively. We use fuzzy-set analyses of U.S. defense firms’ responses to 9/11 to model the two perspectives as potentially competing or complementary, but our findings suggest that neither dynamic capabilities nor superior cognition must be present for firms to adapt. Instead, we identify four types of adapters (anticipative, responsive, opportunistic, and decisive), as well as the possibility of strategic non-adaptation. These results lead us to reassess the cognition and capabilities literatures and to outline a new, integrative framework to explain adaptation.
In stigmatized industries characterized by social contestation, hostile audiences, and distancing... more In stigmatized industries characterized by social contestation, hostile audiences, and distancing between industry insiders and outsiders, firms facing media attacks follow different strategies from firms in uncontested industries. Because firms avoid publicizing their tainted-sector membership, when threatened, they can respond by divesting assets from that industry. Our analyses of the arms industry demonstrate that media attacks on the focal firm and its peers both increase the likelihood of divestment for the focal firm. Specifically, attacks on the focal firm are the most consequential, followed by attacks on peers in the same industry subcategory, and by attacks on peers in different subcategories. These findings shed new light on divestment as a response to media attacks in stigmatized industries and lead us to rethink impression management theory.
This paper offers a systematic review of the literature on organizational categories and categori... more This paper offers a systematic review of the literature on organizational categories and categorization published in the last fourteen years (1999-2012). After identifying a core of roughly 100 papers on categories that appeared in management, organization, and sociology journals, we classified them based on several key dimensions, and analyzed a few trends within the categorization literature. Our most surprising finding may be the fact that until recently, there was no mutual recognition of the existence of a distinct ‘a literature on categories’ despite the wealth of published material on the topic. After summarizing some core theoretical features of that emergent literature, we suggest several areas of research that could further enrich it in the future.
Using qualitative and quantitative methods, the paper draws on the categorization and stigmatizat... more Using qualitative and quantitative methods, the paper draws on the categorization and stigmatization literatures to predict the amount of negative social evaluations received by firms, i.e. disapproval. Association with a stigmatized category does not automatically result in disapproval, because straddling multiple categories dilutes stakeholder attention from the stigma. Findings highlight how managers can modify categorical associations at the industry and customer levels to decrease disapproval, and I discuss implications for diversification and internationalization strategies. Results also show that 9/11 modified the saliency of the categories used by arms industry stakeholders. Finally, the paper suggests that stigmatized industries manage to thrive in the long run despite stigmatization thanks to their members’ category straddling behavior, which makes social evaluations more neutral (less negative).
Measures of organizational legitimacy fall in three categories, based, respectively, on the obser... more Measures of organizational legitimacy fall in three categories, based, respectively, on the observation of code adoption, firm linkages, and media coverage. Such variety reflects the absence of consensus definitions. Because legitimacy involves perceptions of social congruence, the author argues in favor of a perceptual measure based on media content analysis. The author extends existing media-based indicators by offering a multidimensional measure of legitimacy, the raw legitimacy vector (RLV), which accounts for the heterogeneity of perceptions across space and time. The article details a three-step methodology to compute RLV and illustrates its applicability using data on the global defense industry. The author finds strong support for RLV’s factorial, convergent, discriminant, and criterion-related validity and demonstrates that RLV performs better than alternative measures. The paper contributes to research by identifying four stable dimensions of legitimacy (environment, competition, accountability, and transactions), by distinguishing empirically legitimacy and reputation, and by offering a measure suited for international comparison in both legitimate and contested industries.
This paper extends the dynamic capability view and research on organizational path dependence by ... more This paper extends the dynamic capability view and research on organizational path dependence by arguing that path dependence can be a property of capabilities when a contingently-triggered capability path is subject to self-reinforcement (i.e. a set of positive and negative mechanisms that increases the attractiveness of a path relative to others). The paper introduces an evolutionary perspective, which specifies the underlying selection mechanisms of the property of path dependence in internal and external firm environments. This theorization sheds new light on three paradoxes that currently blur the theoretical contribution of path dependence to research at the managerial, organizational, and industry levels: (1) the problematic coexistence of path irreversibility and managerial intentionality; (2) the ambivalent strategic value of lock-in with regard to competitive advantage; and (3) the relative homogeneity in observed dynamic capabilities, despite their (possible) path dependence that should lead to a wider variety of outcomes owing to the presence of contingency. We highlight the contributions of this perspective to strategic management research and evolutionary theories.
"Path dependence is a central construct in organizational research, used to describe a mechanism ... more "Path dependence is a central construct in organizational research, used to describe a mechanism that connects the past and the future in an abstract way. However, across institutional, technology, and strategy literatures, it remains unclear why path dependence sometimes occurs and sometimes not, why it sometimes lead to inefficient outcomes and sometimes not, how it differs from mere increasing returns, and how scholars can empirically support their claims on path dependence. Hence, path dependence is not yet a theory since it does not causally relate identified variables in a systematized manner. Instead, the existing literature tends to conflate path dependence as a process (i.e. history unfolding in a self-reinforcing manner) and as an outcome (i.e. a persisting state of the world with specific properties, called ‘lock-in’). This paper contributes theoretically and methodologically to tackling these issues by: (1) providing a formal definition of path dependence that disentangles process and outcome, and identifies the necessary conditions for path dependence; (2) distinguishing clearly between path dependence and other ‘history matters’ kinds of mechanisms; and (3) specifying the missing link between theoretical and empirical path dependence. In particular, we suggest moving away from historical case studies of supposedly path-dependent processes to focus on more controlled research designs such as simulations, experiments, and counter-factual investigation.
"Whether path dependence 'exists' or not remains an unresolved question - but it is also a misfor... more "Whether path dependence 'exists' or not remains an unresolved question - but it is also a misformulated one. The paper demonstrates that the key issue is methodological, not ontological, and that management and organization scholars have been using inadequate research designs in the past to capture path dependence. The paper draws on recent research to explain why the QWERTY case does not provide evidence for path dependence, and provides clear methodological guidelines regarding which methods should be used in the future to fruitfully explore path dependence in the social sciences. Overall, the paper offers an alternative to both the 'sceptics' who claim that path dependence is a myth and the 'believers' who highlight the huge implications of path dependence, but fail to provide convincing evidence that it actually exists as a distinctive process leading to lock-in.
This book can be read as a brief history of capitalism from 1492 until the present day or, altern... more This book can be read as a brief history of capitalism from 1492 until the present day or, alternatively, as a brief history of piracy.
Piracy is conceived of as an organized form of action that constantly questions and reshapes the boundaries of state sovereignty. When states conquer new territories, such as the high seas in the 17th century or cyberspace today, pirate organizations are always around to contest the state-imposed rules of exchange and to propose alternative norms.
REVIEWS
“…this is a stimulating book filled with new ideas. Philosophically minded land- lubbers will enjoy it just as much as barnacle-backs.” — The Economist
“All this economic theory is paired with engaging analysis of the history and golden ages of piracy.” — The Financial Times
“An interesting and thought-provoking read. The book debunks popular myths about piracy being random and suggests instead that it is predictable, cannot be separated from capitalism and will be the source of capitalism’s continuing evolution.” — The Irish Times
“Rather than try to stamp out piracy, entrepreneurs and businesses should watch how pirates behave in order to stay successful.” — Telegraph.co.uk
“This is an important book that adds to our understanding of the transition between different phases of capitalism...We recommend it.” — Compass, the magazine of the Association of Professional Futurists
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Papers by JP Vergne
Books by JP Vergne
Piracy is conceived of as an organized form of action that constantly questions and reshapes the boundaries of state sovereignty. When states conquer new territories, such as the high seas in the 17th century or cyberspace today, pirate organizations are always around to contest the state-imposed rules of exchange and to propose alternative norms.
REVIEWS
“…this is a stimulating book filled with new ideas. Philosophically minded land- lubbers will enjoy it just as much as barnacle-backs.” — The Economist
“All this economic theory is paired with engaging analysis of the history and golden ages of piracy.” — The Financial Times
“An interesting and thought-provoking read. The book debunks popular myths about piracy being random and suggests instead that it is predictable, cannot be separated from capitalism and will be the source of capitalism’s continuing evolution.” — The Irish Times
“Rather than try to stamp out piracy, entrepreneurs and businesses should watch how pirates behave in order to stay successful.” — Telegraph.co.uk
“This is an important book that adds to our understanding of the transition between different phases of capitalism...We recommend it.” — Compass, the magazine of the Association of Professional Futurists
MORE HERE: pirateorganization.com
Talks by JP Vergne
Piracy is conceived of as an organized form of action that constantly questions and reshapes the boundaries of state sovereignty. When states conquer new territories, such as the high seas in the 17th century or cyberspace today, pirate organizations are always around to contest the state-imposed rules of exchange and to propose alternative norms.
REVIEWS
“…this is a stimulating book filled with new ideas. Philosophically minded land- lubbers will enjoy it just as much as barnacle-backs.” — The Economist
“All this economic theory is paired with engaging analysis of the history and golden ages of piracy.” — The Financial Times
“An interesting and thought-provoking read. The book debunks popular myths about piracy being random and suggests instead that it is predictable, cannot be separated from capitalism and will be the source of capitalism’s continuing evolution.” — The Irish Times
“Rather than try to stamp out piracy, entrepreneurs and businesses should watch how pirates behave in order to stay successful.” — Telegraph.co.uk
“This is an important book that adds to our understanding of the transition between different phases of capitalism...We recommend it.” — Compass, the magazine of the Association of Professional Futurists
MORE HERE: pirateorganization.com