This book proposes a new approach to economics, management and organization that should help in making economic organization ‘wise’, ‘innovative’ and ‘robust’ in an uncertain and risky world. Although the modern economy and society is ‘knowledge intensive’, Anna Grandori argues that the dominant economic, organizational and behavioural models neglect to a large extent the problem of valid knowledge construction and effective knowledge governance.

The book integrates inputs from economics and behavioural science with insights from the philosophy of knowledge to define new micro-foundations: neither a calculative, deductive and omniscient ‘rational actor’; nor an experiential, adaptive and biased ‘behavioural actor’; but a knowledgeable and imaginative ‘epistemic actor’.

The implications for contracts and organizations, sustained also by insights from law, are shown to be far reaching, including a new view of the nature of the firm as an entity-establishing agreement under which to discover uses of resources under uncertainty, and as a democratic institution.

This book proposes a new approach to economics, management and organization that should help in making economic organization ‘wise’, ‘innovative’ and ‘robust’ in an uncertain and risky world. Although the modern economy and society is ‘knowledge intensive’, Anna Grandori argues that the dominant economic, organizational and behavioural models neglect to a large extent the problem of valid knowledge construction and effective knowledge governance.

The book integrates inputs from economics and behavioural science with insights from the philosophy of knowledge to define new micro-foundations: neither a calculative, deductive and omniscient ‘rational actor’; nor an experiential, adaptive and biased ‘behavioural actor’; but a knowledgeable and imaginative ‘epistemic actor’.

The implications for contracts and organizations, sustained also by insights from law, are shown to be far reaching, including a new view of the nature of the firm as an entity-establishing agreement under which to discover uses of resources under uncertainty, and as a democratic institution.

Entrepreneurship has regained centre stage in the contemporary knowledge-intensive and innovation-driven economy, as well as in research. Integrating classic and recent insights into the organization, economics and management of entrepreneurial activities, Organizing Entrepreneurship aims to blend rigor with relevance, and connects theory with practical problems around key questions, such as:

Original case studies are discussed and integrated throughout the text, which reflect a wide range of sectors (from agri-business to high tech) and countries (including emerging economies). Providing a unique resource for students and instructors of entrepreneurship and organization, this book also offers new insights to entrepreneurs and investors in the organization of new firms, as well as to managers striving to infuse entrepreneurial behaviors into their already established firms.

Entrepreneurship has regained centre stage in the contemporary knowledge-intensive and innovation-driven economy, as well as in research. Integrating classic and recent insights into the organization, economics and management of entrepreneurial activities, Organizing Entrepreneurship aims to blend rigor with relevance, and connects theory with practical problems around key questions, such as:

Original case studies are discussed and integrated throughout the text, which reflect a wide range of sectors (from agri-business to high tech) and countries (including emerging economies). Providing a unique resource for students and instructors of entrepreneurship and organization, this book also offers new insights to entrepreneurs and investors in the organization of new firms, as well as to managers striving to infuse entrepreneurial behaviors into their already established firms.

Economic organization is regarded both as a subject of inquiry and as an emerging disciplinary field in its own right, integrating insights from economics, organization theory, strategy and management, economic sociology and cognitive psychology. The contributors, who share this integrated approach, are distinguished scholars at the productive peak in their fields. Each original, state-of-the art chapter not only addresses foundational issues, but also identifies key issues for future research.

This original and wide-ranging Handbook will be a useful and thought-provoking read for academics, students and researchers in the fields of organization, management and economics.

Contributors: N. Argyres, M.M. Blair, G. Bonifati, R.M. Burton, M.G. Colombo, L. Feng, N.J. Foss, B.S. Frey, V.P. Goldberg, A. Grandori, G. Hendrikse, J.-F. Hennart, G.M. Hodgson, A. Holl, B.E. Kaufman, P.G. Klein, P.H. Kriss, K.R. Lakhani, J.-E. Lane, R. Leoni, H. Lifshitz-Assaf, S. Lindenberg, J.T. Mahoney, S.E. Masten, B. Obel, M. Osterloh, U. Pagano, J. Pencavel, P. Puranam, R. Rama, M. Raveendran, C. Rossi-Lamastra, L. Sacconi, R. Sanchez, M.L. Tushman, M. Villani, M. Warglien, R. Weber, J. Windsperger, T.R. Zenger

This book proposes a new approach to economics, management and organization that should help in making economic organization ‘wise’, ‘innovative’ and ‘robust’ in an uncertain and risky world. Although the modern economy and society is ‘knowledge intensive’, Anna Grandori argues that the dominant economic, organizational and behavioural models neglect to a large extent the problem of valid knowledge construction and effective knowledge governance.

The book integrates inputs from economics and behavioural science with insights from the philosophy of knowledge to define new micro-foundations: neither a calculative, deductive and omniscient ‘rational actor’; nor an experiential, adaptive and biased ‘behavioural actor’; but a knowledgeable and imaginative ‘epistemic actor’.

The implications for contracts and organizations, sustained also by insights from law, are shown to be far reaching, including a new view of the nature of the firm as an entity-establishing agreement under which to discover uses of resources under uncertainty, and as a democratic institution.

This book proposes a new approach to economics, management and organization that should help in making economic organization ‘wise’, ‘innovative’ and ‘robust’ in an uncertain and risky world. Although the modern economy and society is ‘knowledge intensive’, Anna Grandori argues that the dominant economic, organizational and behavioural models neglect to a large extent the problem of valid knowledge construction and effective knowledge governance.

The book integrates inputs from economics and behavioural science with insights from the philosophy of knowledge to define new micro-foundations: neither a calculative, deductive and omniscient ‘rational actor’; nor an experiential, adaptive and biased ‘behavioural actor’; but a knowledgeable and imaginative ‘epistemic actor’.

The implications for contracts and organizations, sustained also by insights from law, are shown to be far reaching, including a new view of the nature of the firm as an entity-establishing agreement under which to discover uses of resources under uncertainty, and as a democratic institution.

Entrepreneurship has regained centre stage in the contemporary knowledge-intensive and innovation-driven economy, as well as in research. Integrating classic and recent insights into the organization, economics and management of entrepreneurial activities, Organizing Entrepreneurship aims to blend rigor with relevance, and connects theory with practical problems around key questions, such as:

Original case studies are discussed and integrated throughout the text, which reflect a wide range of sectors (from agri-business to high tech) and countries (including emerging economies). Providing a unique resource for students and instructors of entrepreneurship and organization, this book also offers new insights to entrepreneurs and investors in the organization of new firms, as well as to managers striving to infuse entrepreneurial behaviors into their already established firms.

Entrepreneurship has regained centre stage in the contemporary knowledge-intensive and innovation-driven economy, as well as in research. Integrating classic and recent insights into the organization, economics and management of entrepreneurial activities, Organizing Entrepreneurship aims to blend rigor with relevance, and connects theory with practical problems around key questions, such as:

Original case studies are discussed and integrated throughout the text, which reflect a wide range of sectors (from agri-business to high tech) and countries (including emerging economies). Providing a unique resource for students and instructors of entrepreneurship and organization, this book also offers new insights to entrepreneurs and investors in the organization of new firms, as well as to managers striving to infuse entrepreneurial behaviors into their already established firms.

Economic organization is regarded both as a subject of inquiry and as an emerging disciplinary field in its own right, integrating insights from economics, organization theory, strategy and management, economic sociology and cognitive psychology. The contributors, who share this integrated approach, are distinguished scholars at the productive peak in their fields. Each original, state-of-the art chapter not only addresses foundational issues, but also identifies key issues for future research.

This original and wide-ranging Handbook will be a useful and thought-provoking read for academics, students and researchers in the fields of organization, management and economics.

Contributors: N. Argyres, M.M. Blair, G. Bonifati, R.M. Burton, M.G. Colombo, L. Feng, N.J. Foss, B.S. Frey, V.P. Goldberg, A. Grandori, G. Hendrikse, J.-F. Hennart, G.M. Hodgson, A. Holl, B.E. Kaufman, P.G. Klein, P.H. Kriss, K.R. Lakhani, J.-E. Lane, R. Leoni, H. Lifshitz-Assaf, S. Lindenberg, J.T. Mahoney, S.E. Masten, B. Obel, M. Osterloh, U. Pagano, J. Pencavel, P. Puranam, R. Rama, M. Raveendran, C. Rossi-Lamastra, L. Sacconi, R. Sanchez, M.L. Tushman, M. Villani, M. Warglien, R. Weber, J. Windsperger, T.R. Zenger