A Theory of the Cultural Evolution of the Firm: The Intra-Organizational Ecology of Memes
In this article, we propose a theory of the cultural evolution of the firm. We apply cultural and evolutionary thinking to the questions posed by theories of the firm: What are firms and why do they exist? We argue that firms are best thought of as cultures, as social distributions of modes of thought and forms of externalization. Using the term ‘meme’ to refer collectively … [ Read more ]
Content: Article | Authors: Charles Galunic, John Weeks | Source: INSEAD | Subjects: Culture, Organizational Behavior
Managing Knowledge at Booz-Allen & Hamilton: Knowledge On-line and Off
You’ve heard, “It’s who you know, not what you know,” but in top organizations today, it’s “how you know”. INSEAD Professors Charles Galunic and John Weeks use Booz-Allen & Hamilton to show that once the how’s began making sense, the who’s fell into place. It’s what’s next in knowledge management.
Content: Case Study | Authors: Charles Galunic, John Weeks | Source: INSEAD | Subject: Knowledge Management | Company: Booz-Allen & Hamilton
A Meme’s Eye View: How Organisational Cultures Evolve
Organisations can be examined within an evolutionary framework of reproduction, selection, and variation. Professors John Weeks and Charles Galunic propagate a memetic theory of the firm to conclude that organisations are fundamentally cultures that provide a natural balance between the needs of retaining the information set that constitutes the organisation and recombining them to meet new challenges.
Content: Article | Authors: Charles Galunic, John Weeks | Source: INSEAD Knowledge | Subject: Organizational Behavior
Who’s Helping Whom, and Why? A Comparison of American and Indian Software Engineers
Why do people help one another at work? Is it a form of egoism or of altruism? In this working paper, Professors Leslie Perlow and John R. Weeks investigate helping in Indian and American software firms, considering both the motivations behind the action as well as the contexts in which it occurs. Their results may surprise you.
Content: Article | Author: John Weeks | Source: INSEAD Knowledge | Subject: Organizational Behavior