Key Question: Why are there so many kinds of organizations? Why do organizations emerge? Why are they born? Why do organizations die? What is the relationship between the broader social
structure/environment and the emergence of new
organizations and organizational forms (Stinchcombe, 1965)? Observations • Adaptation does not occur freely and easily; Change is risky • Structural inertia is powerful • The environment is dynamic • Strong selection forces exist
• Proper unit of analysis is the population (but frequently the