Methodological Individualism and the Organizational Capabilities Approach

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dc.contributor.author	Felin, Teppo	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Foss, Nicolai J.	en_US
dc.date.accessioned	2009-02-04T10:26:43Z
dc.date.available	2009-02-04T10:26:43Z
dc.date.issued	2004-08-02T00:00:00Z	en_US
dc.identifier.isbn	8791506204	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10398/7310
dc.description.abstract	Abstract During the last decade, strategy scholars have increasingly converged on organizational capabilities as a key construct in strategy research. We explicate some of the underlying, unstated assumptions of current capabilities-based work by drawing on seminal work in the philosophy of social science, particularly the debate between methodological individualism and collectivism. We argue that a number of explanatory anomalies as well as the apparent lack of progress in capabilities-based work are partly due to much of capabilities-based work being based on collectivist notions that sidestep critical individual-level considerations, including individual action and heterogeneity. In this note we do not deny or reject the notion of routines or capabilities per se, but rather call for an increased emphasis on how these collective structures originate and change as a result of individual actions. Key words: Organizational capabilities, methodological individualism, philosophy of social science	en_US
dc.format.extent	21 s.	en_US
dc.language	eng	en_US
dc.relation.ispartofseries	Working paper;2004-005	en_US
dc.subject.other	kep	en_US
dc.title	Methodological Individualism and the Organizational Capabilities Approach	en_US
dc.type	wp	en_US
dc.accessionstatus	modt04aug02 miel	en_US
dc.contributor.corporation	Copenhagen Business School. CBS	en_US
dc.contributor.department	Institut for Ledelse, Politik og Filosofi	en_US
dc.contributor.departmentshort	CKG	en_US
dc.contributor.departmentuk	Department of Management, Politics & Philosophy	en_US
dc.contributor.departmentuk	Center for Knowledge Governance	en_US
dc.contributor.departmentukshort	MPP	en_US
dc.contributor.departmentukshort	CKG	en_US
dc.idnumber	8791506204	en_US
dc.publisher.city	København	en_US
dc.publisher.year	2004	en_US