Amy Hillman - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Amy Hillman
The resources that individual directors bring to corporate boards are largely a function of their... more The resources that individual directors bring to corporate boards are largely a function of their human and social capital. Although research has explored the value of having former federal government officials join boards, we study factors that make one particular former government official more, or less, attractive as a director than another. Specifically, we explore the depth, breadth, and deterioration of former government officials ’ human and social capital and find that these dimensions of human and social capital are influential predictors of corporate outside directorships. The number of public company boards that in-clude former government officials has increased dramatically in recent decades (Korn/Ferry Interna-tional, 2000). In 1973 only 14 percent of large cor-porate boards included former government offi-cials, yet by 1998 this number had grown to 53 percent. During this same period, the average num-ber of outside directors per board shrank from 16 to
Factors That Influence Monitoring and Resource Provision Among Nonprofit Board
This article explores antecedents of nonprofit directors ’ self-reported confidence and participa... more This article explores antecedents of nonprofit directors ’ self-reported confidence and participation in two board functions: monitoring (executive performance appraisal, selection, fiscal operations, and implementation of strategy) and the provision of resources (advice and counsel, fundraising, and ties to external constituents). We propose that board member’s experience and background in conjunction with other factors such as commitment to the mission, a sense of community with other board members, and training will influence confidence and participation in board functions. Data were collected via a survey from 591 board members in 64 different nonprofit organizations. Regression analyses showed that gender, experience as a nonprofit board member, service on other nonprofit boards, mission attachment, and training were the most consistent predictors of confidence and participation in board activities. Implications are noted for enhancing the contribution of board members to nonpr...
This article explores antecedents of nonprofit directors' self-reported confidence and participat... more This article explores antecedents of nonprofit directors' self-reported confidence and participation in two board functions: monitoring (executive performance appraisal, selection, fiscal operations, and implementation of strategy) and the provision of resources (advice and counsel, fundraising, and ties to external constituents). We propose that board member's experience and background in conjunction with other factors such as commitment to the mission, a sense of community with other board members, and training will influence confidence and participation in board functions. Data were collected via a survey from 591 board members in 64 different nonprofit organizations. Regression analyses showed that gender, experience as a nonprofit board member, service on other nonprofit boards, mission attachment, and training were the most consistent predictors of confidence and participation in board activities. Implications are noted for enhancing the contribution of board members to nonprofit organizations.
Thirty years have passed since Pfeffer and Salancik’s seminal work on resource dependence theory ... more Thirty years have passed since Pfeffer and Salancik’s seminal work on resource dependence theory (RDT). During this time RDT has been applied broadly across the research domain to explain how organizations reduce environmental interdependence and uncertainty. In this review, the authors assess the conceptual development, empirical research, and application of RDT. They structure their review around the five options that Pfeffer and Salancik propose firms can enact to minimize environmental dependences: (a) mergers/vertical integration, (b) joint ventures and other interorganizational relationships, (c) boards of directors, (d) political action, and (e) executive succession. The authors summarize past work, synthesize contemporary thought, and propose future research directions. Keywords resource dependence, boards of directors, firm linkages The year 2008 marked the 30th anniversary of the publication of Pfeffer and Salancik’s (1978) The External Control of Organizations: A Resource...
We study relationships between shareholder proposal activism, managerial response, and corporate ... more We study relationships between shareholder proposal activism, managerial response, and corporate social performance (CSP). We find that shareholder proposal activism reduces CSP. We infer that rather than pressuring firms to improve CSP, activism may engender diversion of resources away from CSP into political activities used by managers to resist external pressures and retain discretion. We also find that managers are more likely to settle proposals filed by ‘salient’ shareholders (i.e., those with power, legitimacy, and urgency). Settlement with salient shareholders, however, also reduces CSP, suggesting that managers’ responses are symbolic; i.e., they settle with salient shareholders to demonstrate conformance but continue to resist making the substantive changes to core policies that may compromise their discretion. Copyright 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Integrating diversity at different levels: multi-level human capital, social capital, and demographic diversity and their implications for team effectiveness
Academy of Management Review
Scholars debate whether diversity is beneficial for team effectiveness, and empirical evidence re... more Scholars debate whether diversity is beneficial for team effectiveness, and empirical evidence reveals positive, negative, and insignificant effects. We argue that this is partly because “diversity...
Recategorization: The Selection of Minority Directors and Their Subsequent Influences on Boards
Academy of Management Proceedings
We build on recategorization theory and research to explain how minority directors may overcome t... more We build on recategorization theory and research to explain how minority directors may overcome the social barriers of obtaining major board appointments and successfully influence subsequent board...
What I Like About You: Director Characteristics and Shareholder Approval
Academy of Management Proceedings
The article discusses the corporate governance of Fortune 500 companies, focusing on the voting b... more The article discusses the corporate governance of Fortune 500 companies, focusing on the voting behavior associated with elections to boards of directors. Aspects of agency theory related to corporate governance are contrasted with resource dependence theory, and it is said that the combination of the two sheds light on the limitations of each. These theories are used to analyze the relative weight which shareholders assign to various characteristics which they believe to be desirable or otherwise in potential directors.
Director Identities and the Role of the Board in Organizational Turnaround
Academy of Management Proceedings
This article discusses the role of director personality in the efforts of boards of directors to ... more This article discusses the role of director personality in the efforts of boards of directors to transform troubled organizations. The services rendered by boards of directors during periods of organizational decline and turnaround is considered. The work of board members, which entails supporting management while providing oversight in the interests of shareholders, is described. The social identities of board members are considered in terms of the social contexts within which they served. The importance of board member identification with the corporation in determining the level of activity in the face of declining performance is considered. The contrasting positions of board members who identify with the chief executive are also considered.
Directors' Multiple Role Identities, Identification and Board Monitoring and Resource Provision
Academy of Management Proceedings
The article discusses multiple role identity among corporate board members. While many studies re... more The article discusses multiple role identity among corporate board members. While many studies regarding board function and composition relationships have been conducted, results have remained incomplete. Boards of directors generally have two job functions where they monitor managers and protect the interests of business owners. The concept of identity theory, which suggests that individuals are an accumulation of multiple identities based on societal roles, is helpful in evaluating boardroom activities. The article concludes that implicating identity theory is an important step in board director appointment and involvement.
Friends or strangers? It all depends on context: A replication and extension of beckman, haunschild, and phillips (2004)
Strategic Management Journal, 2016
Research summary: The formation of interorganizational ties is a consequential phenomenon examine... more Research summary: The formation of interorganizational ties is a consequential phenomenon examined in strategic management research. Beckman, Haunschild, and Phillips (2004) is one of the first studies to comprehensively consider interorganizational network change by exploring factors that affect both alliance and board interlock formation. They find that firm-specific uncertainty relates to broadening actions, whereas market-level uncertainty causes firms to reinforce current structures. Our replication considers whether these relationships operate similarly in a differing temporal context. Building from the framework of the original study, we suggest our findings offer intriguing new empirical evidence highlighting the importance of time as a boundary condition in understanding embedded firm actions. Managerial summary: The development of interorganizational relationships, such as alliances and ties between boards of directors, has an important impact on innovation, strategic actions, and firm performance. This study examines whether the dynamics of interorganizational relationship formation remain consistent over time. We replicate earlier work by Beckman and colleagues (2004), but with an expanded data set covering more than 20 years. Over this broader time horizon, we find a shift in behavior, with companies facing firm-specific uncertainty seeking to reinforce their current relationships and companies facing industry-wide uncertainty seeking to diversify their risk by expanding their network. Our results demonstrate the importance of replication studies in research and contribute to a more nuanced understanding of the complexity surrounding interorganizational relationships. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
The development of business-government strategies by diversified firms
Strategic Management Journal, 2000
Page 1. The Development of Business-Government Strategies by Diversified Firms Author(s): Brian S... more Page 1. The Development of Business-Government Strategies by Diversified Firms Author(s): Brian Shaffer and Amy J. Hillman Source: Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 21, No. ... THE DEVELOPMENT OF BUSINESS-GOVERNMENT STRATEGIES BY DIVERSIFIED FIRMS ...
Strategic Management Journal, 2007
We study relationships between shareholder proposal activism, managerial response, and corporate ... more We study relationships between shareholder proposal activism, managerial response, and corporate social performance (CSP). We find that shareholder proposal activism reduces CSP. We infer that rather than pressuring firms to improve CSP, activism may engender diversion of resources away from CSP into political activities used by managers to resist external pressures and retain discretion. We also find that managers are more likely to settle proposals filed by 'salient' shareholders (i.e., those with power, legitimacy, and urgency). Settlement with salient shareholders, however, also reduces CSP, suggesting that managers' responses are symbolic; i.e., they settle with salient shareholders to demonstrate conformance but continue to resist making the substantive changes to core policies that may compromise their discretion.
Corporate political strategies and firm performance: indications of firm-specific benefits from personal service in the U.S. government
Strategic Management Journal, 1999
... outside representatives allied to the organization who have some political, social, or econom... more ... outside representatives allied to the organization who have some political, social, or economic power ... three separate samples of 'events' in this study in order to properly assess the event ... announced accounting changes approved by the SEC that had a positive effect on earnings ...
Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 2012
This article explores antecedents of nonprofit directors’ self-reported confidence and participat... more This article explores antecedents of nonprofit directors’ self-reported confidence and participation in two board functions: monitoring (executive performance appraisal, selection, fiscal operations, and implementation of strategy) and the provision of resources (advice and counsel, fundraising, and ties to external constituents). We propose that board member’s experience and background in conjunction with other factors such as commitment to the mission, a sense of community with other board members, and training will influence confidence and participation in board functions. Data were collected via a survey from 591 board members in 64 different nonprofit organizations. Regression analyses showed that gender, experience as a nonprofit board member, service on other nonprofit boards, mission attachment, and training were the most consistent predictors of confidence and participation in board activities. Implications are noted for enhancing the contribution of board members to nonpro...
Journal of Management Studies, 2007
The double-blind review process-where authors do not know the identity of their reviewers and rev... more The double-blind review process-where authors do not know the identity of their reviewers and reviewers do not know the identity of authors-has been viewed as critical to the peer review process in top-tier management journals. This two-way anonymity helps to facilitate objectivity by both reviewers and authors and to reduce the effects of bias-either positive or negative-that may accompany known identities or affiliations. For example, several studies have documented bias in the review process in favour of authors from prestigious universities (Peters and Ceci, 1982), particularly when reviewers come from similarly prestigious universities (Gordon, 1980). In addition, Broder (1993) found evidence of bias by female reviewers against female authors independent of paper quality and reviewer affiliation and experience. Preserving the anonymity of authors and reviewers can also reduce tendencies for reviewers to attempt to ingratiate themselves with prestigious authors or to be more critical of the work of unknown scholars. Without anonymity, junior reviewers may become hesitant to offer critical evaluations for fear of career reprisals (McCook, 2006). Given these findings, it is hardly surprising that journals with double-blind review processes tend to have lower acceptance rates, even for articles from authors affiliated with high-prestige universities (Blank, 1991). Proponents of double-blind review suggest that '.. . any factors that increase the probability of particularistic decisions or increase their consequences are not likely to benefit the majority of scientists. A relatively small proportion of such decisions spread over time may serve to give some groups and individuals substantial cumulative advantage, because publication itself is convertible into the "scarce" evidence of competence that makes future selection for further advantage then based on competence, and therefore universalistic. Thus, a particularistic advantage can soon be transformed into a universalistic one' (Beyer, 1978, p. 75). The rapidly escalating cumulative advantages to 'those that have' have also been described by Merton (1968, p. 58), who calls it the Matthew effect: 'The Matthew effect consists in the accruing of greater increments of recognition for particular scientific contributions to
Journal of Management, 2009
Thirty years have passed since Pfeffer and Salancik’s seminal work on resource dependence theory ... more Thirty years have passed since Pfeffer and Salancik’s seminal work on resource dependence theory (RDT). During this time RDT has been applied broadly across the research domain to explain how organizations reduce environmental interdependence and uncertainty. In this review, the authors assess the conceptual development, empirical research, and application of RDT. They structure their review around the five options that Pfeffer and Salancik propose firms can enact to minimize environmental dependences: (a) mergers/vertical integration, (b) joint ventures and other interorganizational relationships, (c) boards of directors, (d) political action, and (e) executive succession.The authors summarize past work, synthesize contemporary thought, and propose future research directions.
Politicians on the Board of Directors: Do Connections Affect the Bottom Line?
Journal of Management, 2005
Resource dependence theory emphasizes the importance of linking firms with external contingencies... more Resource dependence theory emphasizes the importance of linking firms with external contingencies that create uncertainty and interdependence. A critical source of external interdependency and uncertainty for business is government. One way to link a firm to the government is appointing ex-politicians to the board of directors. This study compares the boards of two groups of firms—those from heavily and less regulated industries—and finds the former group has more politician directors. Firms with politicians on the board are associated with better market-based performance across both groups, although the relationship is more pronounced within heavily regulated industries.
Journal of Management, 2002
In this paper, we examine how the attributes of female and racial minority directors differ from ... more In this paper, we examine how the attributes of female and racial minority directors differ from those of white males. We track a sample of white male, white female, African-American female and African-American male directors who serve on Fortune 1000 boards and find differences in occupational background, education, and patterns of board affiliation.
A Multidisciplinary Review of the Director Selection Literature
Journal of Management, 2012
Director selection is a critical board process and outcome that influences the board and its over... more Director selection is a critical board process and outcome that influences the board and its overall performance. Because of this influence, research from a variety of different disciplinary areas examines the antecedents and outcomes of director selection. The authors offer a synthesis of this literature from these different disciplines. The authors first delineate the process that drives the selection of an individual to a board. They then review and categorize the director selection literature into two distinct perspectives—a rational economic perspective focused on the organization-level benefits driving the selection decision and a socialized perspective emphasizing the social processes that influence the director selection process. Finally, from their review, the authors suggest promising areas of future research regarding director selection.
The resources that individual directors bring to corporate boards are largely a function of their... more The resources that individual directors bring to corporate boards are largely a function of their human and social capital. Although research has explored the value of having former federal government officials join boards, we study factors that make one particular former government official more, or less, attractive as a director than another. Specifically, we explore the depth, breadth, and deterioration of former government officials ’ human and social capital and find that these dimensions of human and social capital are influential predictors of corporate outside directorships. The number of public company boards that in-clude former government officials has increased dramatically in recent decades (Korn/Ferry Interna-tional, 2000). In 1973 only 14 percent of large cor-porate boards included former government offi-cials, yet by 1998 this number had grown to 53 percent. During this same period, the average num-ber of outside directors per board shrank from 16 to
Factors That Influence Monitoring and Resource Provision Among Nonprofit Board
This article explores antecedents of nonprofit directors ’ self-reported confidence and participa... more This article explores antecedents of nonprofit directors ’ self-reported confidence and participation in two board functions: monitoring (executive performance appraisal, selection, fiscal operations, and implementation of strategy) and the provision of resources (advice and counsel, fundraising, and ties to external constituents). We propose that board member’s experience and background in conjunction with other factors such as commitment to the mission, a sense of community with other board members, and training will influence confidence and participation in board functions. Data were collected via a survey from 591 board members in 64 different nonprofit organizations. Regression analyses showed that gender, experience as a nonprofit board member, service on other nonprofit boards, mission attachment, and training were the most consistent predictors of confidence and participation in board activities. Implications are noted for enhancing the contribution of board members to nonpr...
This article explores antecedents of nonprofit directors' self-reported confidence and participat... more This article explores antecedents of nonprofit directors' self-reported confidence and participation in two board functions: monitoring (executive performance appraisal, selection, fiscal operations, and implementation of strategy) and the provision of resources (advice and counsel, fundraising, and ties to external constituents). We propose that board member's experience and background in conjunction with other factors such as commitment to the mission, a sense of community with other board members, and training will influence confidence and participation in board functions. Data were collected via a survey from 591 board members in 64 different nonprofit organizations. Regression analyses showed that gender, experience as a nonprofit board member, service on other nonprofit boards, mission attachment, and training were the most consistent predictors of confidence and participation in board activities. Implications are noted for enhancing the contribution of board members to nonprofit organizations.
Thirty years have passed since Pfeffer and Salancik’s seminal work on resource dependence theory ... more Thirty years have passed since Pfeffer and Salancik’s seminal work on resource dependence theory (RDT). During this time RDT has been applied broadly across the research domain to explain how organizations reduce environmental interdependence and uncertainty. In this review, the authors assess the conceptual development, empirical research, and application of RDT. They structure their review around the five options that Pfeffer and Salancik propose firms can enact to minimize environmental dependences: (a) mergers/vertical integration, (b) joint ventures and other interorganizational relationships, (c) boards of directors, (d) political action, and (e) executive succession. The authors summarize past work, synthesize contemporary thought, and propose future research directions. Keywords resource dependence, boards of directors, firm linkages The year 2008 marked the 30th anniversary of the publication of Pfeffer and Salancik’s (1978) The External Control of Organizations: A Resource...
We study relationships between shareholder proposal activism, managerial response, and corporate ... more We study relationships between shareholder proposal activism, managerial response, and corporate social performance (CSP). We find that shareholder proposal activism reduces CSP. We infer that rather than pressuring firms to improve CSP, activism may engender diversion of resources away from CSP into political activities used by managers to resist external pressures and retain discretion. We also find that managers are more likely to settle proposals filed by ‘salient’ shareholders (i.e., those with power, legitimacy, and urgency). Settlement with salient shareholders, however, also reduces CSP, suggesting that managers’ responses are symbolic; i.e., they settle with salient shareholders to demonstrate conformance but continue to resist making the substantive changes to core policies that may compromise their discretion. Copyright 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Integrating diversity at different levels: multi-level human capital, social capital, and demographic diversity and their implications for team effectiveness
Academy of Management Review
Scholars debate whether diversity is beneficial for team effectiveness, and empirical evidence re... more Scholars debate whether diversity is beneficial for team effectiveness, and empirical evidence reveals positive, negative, and insignificant effects. We argue that this is partly because “diversity...
Recategorization: The Selection of Minority Directors and Their Subsequent Influences on Boards
Academy of Management Proceedings
We build on recategorization theory and research to explain how minority directors may overcome t... more We build on recategorization theory and research to explain how minority directors may overcome the social barriers of obtaining major board appointments and successfully influence subsequent board...
What I Like About You: Director Characteristics and Shareholder Approval
Academy of Management Proceedings
The article discusses the corporate governance of Fortune 500 companies, focusing on the voting b... more The article discusses the corporate governance of Fortune 500 companies, focusing on the voting behavior associated with elections to boards of directors. Aspects of agency theory related to corporate governance are contrasted with resource dependence theory, and it is said that the combination of the two sheds light on the limitations of each. These theories are used to analyze the relative weight which shareholders assign to various characteristics which they believe to be desirable or otherwise in potential directors.
Director Identities and the Role of the Board in Organizational Turnaround
Academy of Management Proceedings
This article discusses the role of director personality in the efforts of boards of directors to ... more This article discusses the role of director personality in the efforts of boards of directors to transform troubled organizations. The services rendered by boards of directors during periods of organizational decline and turnaround is considered. The work of board members, which entails supporting management while providing oversight in the interests of shareholders, is described. The social identities of board members are considered in terms of the social contexts within which they served. The importance of board member identification with the corporation in determining the level of activity in the face of declining performance is considered. The contrasting positions of board members who identify with the chief executive are also considered.
Directors' Multiple Role Identities, Identification and Board Monitoring and Resource Provision
Academy of Management Proceedings
The article discusses multiple role identity among corporate board members. While many studies re... more The article discusses multiple role identity among corporate board members. While many studies regarding board function and composition relationships have been conducted, results have remained incomplete. Boards of directors generally have two job functions where they monitor managers and protect the interests of business owners. The concept of identity theory, which suggests that individuals are an accumulation of multiple identities based on societal roles, is helpful in evaluating boardroom activities. The article concludes that implicating identity theory is an important step in board director appointment and involvement.
Friends or strangers? It all depends on context: A replication and extension of beckman, haunschild, and phillips (2004)
Strategic Management Journal, 2016
Research summary: The formation of interorganizational ties is a consequential phenomenon examine... more Research summary: The formation of interorganizational ties is a consequential phenomenon examined in strategic management research. Beckman, Haunschild, and Phillips (2004) is one of the first studies to comprehensively consider interorganizational network change by exploring factors that affect both alliance and board interlock formation. They find that firm-specific uncertainty relates to broadening actions, whereas market-level uncertainty causes firms to reinforce current structures. Our replication considers whether these relationships operate similarly in a differing temporal context. Building from the framework of the original study, we suggest our findings offer intriguing new empirical evidence highlighting the importance of time as a boundary condition in understanding embedded firm actions. Managerial summary: The development of interorganizational relationships, such as alliances and ties between boards of directors, has an important impact on innovation, strategic actions, and firm performance. This study examines whether the dynamics of interorganizational relationship formation remain consistent over time. We replicate earlier work by Beckman and colleagues (2004), but with an expanded data set covering more than 20 years. Over this broader time horizon, we find a shift in behavior, with companies facing firm-specific uncertainty seeking to reinforce their current relationships and companies facing industry-wide uncertainty seeking to diversify their risk by expanding their network. Our results demonstrate the importance of replication studies in research and contribute to a more nuanced understanding of the complexity surrounding interorganizational relationships. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
The development of business-government strategies by diversified firms
Strategic Management Journal, 2000
Page 1. The Development of Business-Government Strategies by Diversified Firms Author(s): Brian S... more Page 1. The Development of Business-Government Strategies by Diversified Firms Author(s): Brian Shaffer and Amy J. Hillman Source: Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 21, No. ... THE DEVELOPMENT OF BUSINESS-GOVERNMENT STRATEGIES BY DIVERSIFIED FIRMS ...
Strategic Management Journal, 2007
We study relationships between shareholder proposal activism, managerial response, and corporate ... more We study relationships between shareholder proposal activism, managerial response, and corporate social performance (CSP). We find that shareholder proposal activism reduces CSP. We infer that rather than pressuring firms to improve CSP, activism may engender diversion of resources away from CSP into political activities used by managers to resist external pressures and retain discretion. We also find that managers are more likely to settle proposals filed by 'salient' shareholders (i.e., those with power, legitimacy, and urgency). Settlement with salient shareholders, however, also reduces CSP, suggesting that managers' responses are symbolic; i.e., they settle with salient shareholders to demonstrate conformance but continue to resist making the substantive changes to core policies that may compromise their discretion.
Corporate political strategies and firm performance: indications of firm-specific benefits from personal service in the U.S. government
Strategic Management Journal, 1999
... outside representatives allied to the organization who have some political, social, or econom... more ... outside representatives allied to the organization who have some political, social, or economic power ... three separate samples of 'events' in this study in order to properly assess the event ... announced accounting changes approved by the SEC that had a positive effect on earnings ...
Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 2012
This article explores antecedents of nonprofit directors’ self-reported confidence and participat... more This article explores antecedents of nonprofit directors’ self-reported confidence and participation in two board functions: monitoring (executive performance appraisal, selection, fiscal operations, and implementation of strategy) and the provision of resources (advice and counsel, fundraising, and ties to external constituents). We propose that board member’s experience and background in conjunction with other factors such as commitment to the mission, a sense of community with other board members, and training will influence confidence and participation in board functions. Data were collected via a survey from 591 board members in 64 different nonprofit organizations. Regression analyses showed that gender, experience as a nonprofit board member, service on other nonprofit boards, mission attachment, and training were the most consistent predictors of confidence and participation in board activities. Implications are noted for enhancing the contribution of board members to nonpro...
Journal of Management Studies, 2007
The double-blind review process-where authors do not know the identity of their reviewers and rev... more The double-blind review process-where authors do not know the identity of their reviewers and reviewers do not know the identity of authors-has been viewed as critical to the peer review process in top-tier management journals. This two-way anonymity helps to facilitate objectivity by both reviewers and authors and to reduce the effects of bias-either positive or negative-that may accompany known identities or affiliations. For example, several studies have documented bias in the review process in favour of authors from prestigious universities (Peters and Ceci, 1982), particularly when reviewers come from similarly prestigious universities (Gordon, 1980). In addition, Broder (1993) found evidence of bias by female reviewers against female authors independent of paper quality and reviewer affiliation and experience. Preserving the anonymity of authors and reviewers can also reduce tendencies for reviewers to attempt to ingratiate themselves with prestigious authors or to be more critical of the work of unknown scholars. Without anonymity, junior reviewers may become hesitant to offer critical evaluations for fear of career reprisals (McCook, 2006). Given these findings, it is hardly surprising that journals with double-blind review processes tend to have lower acceptance rates, even for articles from authors affiliated with high-prestige universities (Blank, 1991). Proponents of double-blind review suggest that '.. . any factors that increase the probability of particularistic decisions or increase their consequences are not likely to benefit the majority of scientists. A relatively small proportion of such decisions spread over time may serve to give some groups and individuals substantial cumulative advantage, because publication itself is convertible into the "scarce" evidence of competence that makes future selection for further advantage then based on competence, and therefore universalistic. Thus, a particularistic advantage can soon be transformed into a universalistic one' (Beyer, 1978, p. 75). The rapidly escalating cumulative advantages to 'those that have' have also been described by Merton (1968, p. 58), who calls it the Matthew effect: 'The Matthew effect consists in the accruing of greater increments of recognition for particular scientific contributions to
Journal of Management, 2009
Thirty years have passed since Pfeffer and Salancik’s seminal work on resource dependence theory ... more Thirty years have passed since Pfeffer and Salancik’s seminal work on resource dependence theory (RDT). During this time RDT has been applied broadly across the research domain to explain how organizations reduce environmental interdependence and uncertainty. In this review, the authors assess the conceptual development, empirical research, and application of RDT. They structure their review around the five options that Pfeffer and Salancik propose firms can enact to minimize environmental dependences: (a) mergers/vertical integration, (b) joint ventures and other interorganizational relationships, (c) boards of directors, (d) political action, and (e) executive succession.The authors summarize past work, synthesize contemporary thought, and propose future research directions.
Politicians on the Board of Directors: Do Connections Affect the Bottom Line?
Journal of Management, 2005
Resource dependence theory emphasizes the importance of linking firms with external contingencies... more Resource dependence theory emphasizes the importance of linking firms with external contingencies that create uncertainty and interdependence. A critical source of external interdependency and uncertainty for business is government. One way to link a firm to the government is appointing ex-politicians to the board of directors. This study compares the boards of two groups of firms—those from heavily and less regulated industries—and finds the former group has more politician directors. Firms with politicians on the board are associated with better market-based performance across both groups, although the relationship is more pronounced within heavily regulated industries.
Journal of Management, 2002
In this paper, we examine how the attributes of female and racial minority directors differ from ... more In this paper, we examine how the attributes of female and racial minority directors differ from those of white males. We track a sample of white male, white female, African-American female and African-American male directors who serve on Fortune 1000 boards and find differences in occupational background, education, and patterns of board affiliation.
A Multidisciplinary Review of the Director Selection Literature
Journal of Management, 2012
Director selection is a critical board process and outcome that influences the board and its over... more Director selection is a critical board process and outcome that influences the board and its overall performance. Because of this influence, research from a variety of different disciplinary areas examines the antecedents and outcomes of director selection. The authors offer a synthesis of this literature from these different disciplines. The authors first delineate the process that drives the selection of an individual to a board. They then review and categorize the director selection literature into two distinct perspectives—a rational economic perspective focused on the organization-level benefits driving the selection decision and a socialized perspective emphasizing the social processes that influence the director selection process. Finally, from their review, the authors suggest promising areas of future research regarding director selection.