Abstract

How can the argument that organisations evolve according to environmental pressures be reconciled with evidence of strategic management? This book is the first of its kind to answer this theoretical puzzle and engage readers in a balanced understanding of organizational evolution. Organization and strategy scholars often lack a clear, in-depth presentation of evolutionary ideas and may repeat mistakes that could and should be avoided. In this book, Durand embarks upon a fresh assessment of the literature. He provides the foundation for a new theory of organizational selection and an 'Organizational Evolution and Strategy' model that reconciles economic evolution with strategic intentionality. Chapters include an examination of the work by Lamarck, Darwin and Spencer; a constructive appraisal of evolutionary theory applied to organizations; and a summary of how the 'Organizational Evolution and Strategy' model will affect future theory and research.